LAH: Life After Hyrule
by Way of the Sheikah
Summary: Rated for violence and language, Melee universe. After Hyrule is flooded by the Goddesses, Link and Zelda start a new life in Smash Mansion. When they are offered the chance to raise Hyrule from beneath the waves years later, they fight to make it happen. Zelda/Link and others. Conclusion/Sequel of this tale in the works, check my author profile often for latest news and updates!
1. Chapter 1: Arrival and Escape

**NOTES:** **This is my first fanfic, so please don't flame me if you think that I'm heading in the wrong direction with this story. This is going to be a Zelda/SSBM crossover and romance will mainly be Link/Zelda, but I might possibly make other pairs when the time comes. This story takes place in the time between Majora's Mask and Wind Waker (before the flooding of Hyrule). Just to let you know, THIS IS NOT MY TAKE ON THE UPCOMING TWILIGHT PRINCESS! This story basically follows the Hero of Time and Zelda's life after Majora's Mask. I decided to do this because Wind Waker's prologue didn't say much about what happened to Link after Majora's Mask, just that he went on another adventure somewhere and never returned. Here's the untold story of what really happened during the crisis...**

**DISCLAIMER:** **I** **don't own the Legend of Zelda series, Super Smash Bros. Melee or anything that is related to these two game series. These franchises belong to Nintendo. There, I said it. Now stop threatening to sue me, Nintendo!**

**ADDITIONAL NOTE (4/25): This is a Melee fic, not a Brawl one, so don't bother sending me a review asking where all the Brawl characters are. Sorry, but I'm not going to use them for this fic (unless it becomes necessary in some way).**

**Chapter 1: Arrival and Escape**

The sun started to set as Link made his way across the eastern end of the Lost Woods on Epona. Gazing on all the familiar sights of home only served to remind him how long it had been since he had traveled on this path.

It had been two years since Link left Hyrule in search of Navi, his guardian fairy appointed by the Great Deku Tree. He had been on many other quests after his "short" adventure in Termina in which he saved the land from the evil powers of Majora's Mask. In those two years he made many friends, learning that the Lost Woods was like a highway connecting different worlds.

After much exploration and no hope of finding Navi, Link decided to come back to his homeland. At one point, Link had come across some sort of mansion while buying supplies at a nearby town. The mansion welcomed fighters from many different countries and worlds. He later found out that it was called "Smash Mansion", and it housed fighters from all walks of life. He had considered joining and competing with these warriors, but decided otherwise and thought it more important to get home. Now clad in his Kokiri Tunic, Kokiri Boots, and with the Gilded Sword and Hylian Shield clipped to the scabbard on his back, he continued his journey toward Hyrule.

As he was reflecting on the past two years, he noticed a sole rain drop appear as if out of nowhere.

"That's odd…it hardly ever rains in the Lost Woods…" he muttered to himself.

Suddenly more rain drops started falling as he reached the bridge connecting the Lost Woods to Hyrule Field. As he entered the expansive fields, Link was shocked at what he saw: there were monsters everywhere, burning trees and destroying the land at will. Instincts taking over, Link immediately gripped the hilt of his Gilded Sword and pulled it out of its sheath. Without a second thought he took off in a flash toward three Dinofols in his way.

They cocked and snapped their lizard heads as they saw him approach and aimed their crude bows as he rode by. He horizontally swung his sword at their heads, decapitating all three in a single stroke and causing green blood to fly everywhere. The bodies and the nearby heads disappeared instantly in a puff of black smoke as if they had never existed.

Link's normally steady sword hand started to tremble, thoughts racing though his head.

'_He can't be back…he was sealed away in the Sacred Realm! It's just not possible.'_

Worried, he headed in the direction of Hyrule Castle where the bridge was broken and a small number of soldiers were fighting off a mix of Iron Knuckles, Lizardfols, and Stalfos Knights. Link saw the soldiers were losing as he quickly dismounted with Gilded Sword and Hylian Shield in hand. He let out a battle cry as he entered the fray, helping the injured Knights of Hyrule defend and escape while he held off the enemy.

Parry, block, stab, slash, parry, block, stab, slash: the whole routine became etched into his mind as monster after monster fell to his blade and disappeared. Mere minutes had gone by as the enemy numbers were reduced drastically to only a handful of creatures.

Slightly fatigued Link stabbed the last Stalfos through the chest, staining the field with green blood as it disappeared in black smoke. He sheathed his sword and shield and went over to the surviving knights who worshiped and thanked him graciously.

Before he could even utter a word of acknowledgment it started to pour, and the knights looked nervously at the sky and ran towards Death Mountain. Wanting some answers, the fifteen year old swordsman got back on Epona and resumed riding towards Hyrule Castle. By now lightning was illuminating the sky, casting shadows over everything. To his horror he discovered Castle Town in ruins, and the Temple of Time completely destroyed.

Fearing the worst Link urged Epona to go faster towards Hyrule Castle. To his relief, the castle was still intact and it seemed like over three quarters of the Hylian army was stationed there, patrolling the borders for any intruders.

'_If there's this many soldiers left, then why are they all holed up here instead of being out there, defending innocent civilians?'_ Link thought with a slight twinge of anger. Even as a child he hadn't been much of a fan of the Hylian Army, but this was completely unheard of for a company that pledges to defend the helpless and protect the land.

As soon as they identified who he was, they looked as though they had seen a ghost. Thanking all three goddesses at once they led him inside the castle. As soon as he was inside the main hall, he dismounted from Epona and practically flew toward the throne room. Cold and wet from the rain, Link burst through the door where he saw the King of Hyrule and, to his relief, Zelda discussing something Link couldn't decipher from where he was. They both stopped talking and turned toward him, frozen in place.

Zelda was speechless as she saw the man she believed to be dead for the past two years standing right before her. She instantly ran towards him filled with relief and happiness and engulfed him in a hug. Link was relieved that she was alive and well, and graciously returned it. When they separated and looked into each other's eyes for a moment the King, looking unusually pale in his traditional red garments and headpiece, cleared his throat to speak. Despite his failing health he too looked happy to see the return of Hyrule's legendary hero.

"Link, The Hero of Time? Thank the goddesses you've come back safely. Where have you been all this time?"

"It's a long story," he said as Zelda took her place next to him while still eyeing his masculine figure, "But first I have many questions, and I'm hoping you have some answers."

"Yes, I thought you would. But I must warn you, choose to ask only your most important questions; we don't have much time."

"Okay, first of all tell me what the hell is going on here!? I leave home for two years and I come back to utter chaos!"

Ignoring his improper words towards a man of the Royal Family, the King cleared his throat.

"Ganondorf has broken free of the Sacred Realm and has been on the loose for several months now. He rallied all creatures of darkness to his cause and declared war on all of Hyrule. He created a new castle where Lake Hylia was and now has thousands of soldiers at his disposal. All the races of Hyrule united under one banner to combat him, but we have taken heavy casualties. Many innocent civilians have died, not to mention the mighty Gorons, and the Zora and Gerudo have been completely wiped out. The Kokiri have turned into strange beings called Korok, and thus are unable to help us fight. We have prayed for you to return and once again defeat him, but until now our prayers have gone unanswered."

Link was lost deep in thought, pondering how Ganondorf escaped such a powerful seal as the Sacred Realm. Sensing what he was thinking about, Zelda interrupted his thoughts and communicated to him telepathically.

_'I'll explain everything later. Don't think about this now, okay?'_

He looked at Zelda and nodded while the King continued.

"Beaten and with no hope in sight, we appealed to the goddesses and left our fate in their hands. They have ordered everyone to flee to the mountains for shelter and have decided that in order to seal Ganondorf away again, Hyrule must be flooded. By drowning this land, Ganondorf's evil will remain beneath the depths of a newly created ocean, while our people and their descendents start a new life above the waves."

"What? No, wait! I can defeat him again, I know it! Where's the Master Sword?"

"It's in the basement of the castle playing the most important role in sealing Ganondorf. The remaining five sages are also down there, maintaining its power. I'm sorry Link but there's nothing you can do. You arrived too late; the goddesses cannot stop the flood now that it has begun."

No, he wouldn't accept it. He felt responsible, feeling it was his fault Ganondorf had returned. After what seemed like a lifetime of saving lands, helping various peoples, and defeating evil forces he wouldn't accept that he was powerless to help.

"There must be something I can do! I won't allow this to happen!"

"Link, calm down! The soldiers stationed here will protect the sages and prevent Ganondorf from destroying the Master Sword. It's not too courageous, but I'm afraid it's the only thing I can do right now to defend my kingdom. Believe me when I say I would rather see Hyrule beneath an ocean than see the day when the entire world is ruled by a bloody monster!"

"Isn't there anything I can do though?" Link asked, hope fading from his voice.

"Yes, come to think of it. You can split the Triforce of Courage you currently hold into eight pieces and send them in separate directions across Hyrule. We cannot allow Ganondorf to gather all three pieces of the Triforce. If he ever got his blood thirsty hands on it again, Ganondorf would instantaneously rule Hyrule, stop the flood, and continue conquering other lands with the Triforce's power. Zelda has already split her Triforce of Wisdom in two, one for me to hold onto and one to be handed down to her future descendents."

Link looked at Zelda, gazing sadly at the floor as she remembered all the horrible things she had witnessed these past few months. She looked like hell in Link's opinion; like someone who hadn't slept in many weeks. He turned back to the King, puzzled as a realization dawned on him.

"Wait, so Zelda's not staying here?"

"No, she was going to remain here with the other sages and finish one final ritual and then flee toward the mountains, but now I've decided that she should go with you. Please Link, listen to me: take Zelda to another country and stay there with her. Keep her safe from Ganondorf and the clutches of his minions. Young warrior, this is one fight you cannot win so please flee before it's too late!"

"Father, what about you?" Zelda exclaimed, a look of fright inhabiting her eyes.

The King acknowledged her fright, but only smiled warmly at his daughter.

"Ah, my child, I have been chosen by the goddesses themselves to watch over the castle as their plan is carried out. I must stay here."

"I can't leave you, though! I've already lost too many friends to this war! Even Impa would have…"

"Now Zelda, stop that! You're stronger than this! Do you honestly want Impa's sacrifice to be in vain?"

Zelda looked at him, tears in her eyes as she remembered what Impa had done for her. During a battle with Ganondorf's forces as Sheik, she and Impa had encountered the Evil King himself killing anyone who was stupid enough to stand in his way and fight. They engaged him in combat and Zelda was knocked to the ground by an attack. Just as she was about to be killed Impa had gotten between Ganondorf's blade and Zelda. The blow pierced her heart and killed her in moments, right in front of Zelda's eyes.

Both father and daughter exchanged one last hug. Zelda cried silently in her father's chest as the King looked on, determination glazed on his face. Link wished he could do something to ease the pain, but for the first time in his life he felt helpless. She reluctantly let go, wiping tears from her eyes as the King glanced at the Hero of Time.

"Link, are you ready to split the Triforce of Courage?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

A bright golden light engulfed Link and the Triforce of Courage arose from the marking on his left hand. It became larger as it landed in the center of the room. Link took the Glided Sword out of its sheath, gazing in wonder at the blade as it began gleaming with golden light. Without another thought he expertly hacked Courage evenly into eight pieces, shattering the sacred triangle. The deed finished, the King ordered eight of his best men to take one piece to a different part of Hyrule and guard over it. They were to also label each piece's location on a section of parchment, which would later become a map. After they left in separate directions, the King looked toward his fourteen year old daughter.

"Zelda, escape to the Lost Woods with Link…there's nothing for you here now. Both of you start a new life together in some other country. Forget about this now deceased land of Hyrule…"

The rain pounded even harder than before on the windows outside; the lightning and thunder increasing in intensity.

"Oh no, the rain is increasing…and I sense that Ganondorf has felt your presence, Link. You must go, now!"

The King took one last look at the pair and turned his back, his hands and voice trembling with sorrow.

"Take care of my daughter…Hero of Time…"

Link nodded while Zelda in a blinding blast of pink smoke transformed into Sheik. They sprinted out of the room, never once looking back. The King slowly walked back towards his antique desk in the corner of the room. On it sat a book he had been writing. It was illustrated by one of the best artists in Hyrule. The King, known as the "King of Red Lions" to his friends, was determined to finish it so that the memory of his kingdom would live on.

He finished the sentence he was on with the "Hero did not appear…" No, it would be better to keep this meeting confidential. Once he was done he would send his personal servant to the mountains to make sure the book survived. He continued writing in ancient Hylian text as rain mercilessly battered the windows outside, causing his candle to flicker. Shadows were cast over the statue of the Hero of Time as the land of Hyrule started to disappear.

Link and Sheik ran towards the main hall where Epona was patiently waiting. Link helped Sheik on and jumped on the saddle, snapped the reins and Epona took off in an amazing burst of speed.

'_She must know what's about to happen too…'_ thought Link as he gave her a reassuring pat on her elegant white mane.

Sheik wrapped her arms tightly around Link's waist as he willed Epona on. They jumped the broken Castle Town gate and rode out into the field. Half of the grasslands were already flooded by the torrential rains. Link felt a shiver run up his spine when he saw Lon Lon Ranch in ruins. He silently prayed that Malon and her family were safe as they rode past toward the entrance to Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods.

As they were halfway across the field though, four Stalfos Knights on horseback erupted from the direction of Lake Hylian and pursued them.

Deciding to flee rather than fight, Link guided Epona into the woods. The Stalfos continued their pursuit, firing arrows relentlessly. Sheik flung needles at them in retaliation which slowed them down, but their skeletal horses evaded the deadly projectiles with ease. To his relief Link saw the Hylian River rapidly approaching in front of them.

The Hylian River started in Zora's Domain, flowed through the Lost Woods and eventually joined with Zora River, which eventually emptied into Lake Hylia. The banks in the Lost Woods were said to be almost impossible to jump.

'_The key word being almost…guess there's no other way…' _he thought grimly.

Sheik, realizing what he was about to do, looked in fear at Link. He glanced back at her with a determined look in his eyes. She took great comfort in his ocean blue eyes, eventually nodding her approval. She had seen that look of determination before many times, and knew it was best not to ask him questions at a time like this. Link guided Epona expertly towards the river as she gained speed. Not intelligent enough to realize what was coming, the Stalfos continued firing.

Epona finally reached the edge and jumped. Link felt the wind whip his face, and Sheik tightened her grip while burying her head in his shoulder. They landed beautifully on the other side and stopped briefly to watch. The Stalfos tried to do the same thing, but their horses failed to accelerate enough and landed in the river. All four drowned with their horses and were swept away downstream toward Lake Hylia.

* * *

The two Hylians traveled for about half an hour and reached the peak of a hill overlooking Hyrule Field and the surrounding areas. The rain was still pouring over the faraway land, but it had stopped for them as soon as they had crossed the border. The two Hylians dismounted Epona and watched as their homeland, the place where they had been born and had spent their entire childhood, flooded under the torrential rains and disappeared beneath the waves. Sheik turned back into Zelda as they looked on. Not able to handle anymore, she buried her head in his chest and started crying. Link comforted her, wrapping his arms around her and releasing his own tears. They stayed like that for several minutes, taking comfort in each other's warmth until Hyrule Castle disappeared beneath the waves along with the rest of Hyrule. Silently they both returned to Epona and disappeared once again into the Lost Woods.

As they rode, Link debated with himself over where they should go. Eliminating Termina and other countries inside his head, he finally decided on one place. One place, where orphaned fighters such as themselves were always welcome...

**That's the end of Chapter 1. I'm usually not going to write such long chapters, but I had lots of details I wanted to include. The next chapter should be up by the end of this month, but it might be delayed. Check out my profile for the status of Chapter 2. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and please review! **


	2. Chapter 2: Aftermath

**NOTES: I apologize for the little mix-up I caused; parts of the story just didn't sound right and I wasn't satisfied with the title and summary at all. But, for your enjoyment, here's chapter two. It's shorter than my last chapter, but my fingers are still hurting from typing all that. Oh, and I am happy to say that the first chapter is now completely error-free (at least, the spelling is right).**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Legend of Zelda or Super Smash Bros. Melee; both of these games belong to Nintendo, and SSBM belongs to HAL Laboratories. Really, must we authors say this every time? I mean, of course we don't own these games; it wouldn't be called FAN FICTION if we did. Now enough of me ranting and raving, on with the story!**

**Chapter 2: Aftermath**

**Five years later…….**

_BLAM!_

'_Damn, should've seen that one coming!'_ Link thought as he hurtled across the Mushroom Kingdom stage, his damage indicator on his wrist rising to 150 percent. Luckily, he managed to use his Hookshot to hang off the side and spring back on the stage. Too busy fighting the bounty hunter Samus Aran, Link hadn't noticed a Bomb-omb walking towards him. Before he could react, it blew up in his face.

Samus leaped up and landed on top of the castle tower while firing off several seeker missiles, but this time Link was ready. He sprinted up the roof, dodging missile after missile, and finally managed to get an upper thrust with his new sword at her. Samus went flying upwards, but was able to fall back to the earth. Link took out his bow and launched a volley of arrows at her. She was hit a couple of times, but still was able to control her descent. She landed and noticed that her damage indicator was up to 120 percent, but she paid no heed since her Varia Suit had protected her from most damage and also provided her with some extra weight to keep her on the ground.

'_If I play this right, I shouldn't have to worry anyways.'_

Link again rushed at her, jumped, and tried a downward thrust. Samus dodged it and kicked him in the chest. Link went flying and hit the main tower, landing face down. His damage indicator now up to 200 percent, he was surprised that he was still even on the ground. Samus didn't hesitate and launched a series of kicks and punches as he struggled to his feet. But thanks to his reflexes, he rolled forward and came up behind her, performing an upwards spin attack with his sword.

'_You've got to be kidding me! How did he_…' Samus thought as she was launched skywards again, but this time she didn't come back down. Link watched her disappear into the distance, with the crowd cheering his name. He waved towards the floating stands off-screen, and heard the word "Game!" signifying the end of the battle.

* * *

In the locker rooms, Samus placed the parts of her disassembled Varia Suit in her locker. She felt Link's presence coming up behind her as she continued disassembling parts of her suit.

"You did well. I thought that I was going to lose when you knocked me into that wall and tried to finish me off."

"Thanks Link. I didn't expect you to get behind me. If we hadn't been playing by one stock survival rules, I would have given you a run for your money when I returned." she said in a grin, as she finished disassembling her suit. All she had on now was a dark blue jumpsuit. She undid her ponytail and let her blond hair flow down her backside. Link watched for a second, then opened his own locker next to hers and started to store his own weapons in it. He took off his tunic and removed the mail under it, storing it in his locker. Samus couldn't help but smirk at his finely built body as he put his forest green Kokiri tunic back on.

"By the way, if you ever want to spar, you know where to find me Link. You're one of my more challenging opponents."

"Should I feel honored?" Link said with a sly grin.

"You'd better," she said playfully.

As he finished putting away his stuff and shut his locker, a pair of gloved hands covered his eyes.

"Guess who?"

"Uh…boy you sound familiar. Let me guess…is it…Zelda?"

The gloved hands removed themselves from Link's eyes as he turned around and was greeted by the smiling face of his best friend.

"Hey Zel, what's up?"

"Nothing, just wanted to say hello to you."

Samus closed her locker and turned around to see their new arrival.

"Hey Zel, how's it going?"

"Great! I just finished my fight with Peach, and I won by one KO. It was just a two-minute match, but it felt like an eternity."

"That's good. Your boyfriend here sent me to heaven during our Sudden Death battle." She grinned as both of their cheeks turned bright red.

"Sam, uh, Zelda's not my girlfriend. She's just my, uh…." stuttered Link with difficulty.

"I know. I just love the look on both of your faces when I say that!"

All three of them laughed, but it was short lived. The P.A. system erupted to life, and Master Hand's voice came over the speaker.

"Please excuse the interruption, but could all Smashers please report to the Dining Hall for dinner. I have a special announcement to make that includes you all."

Link finished checking the lock on his locker, and started re-buckling his Kokiri boots while Samus and Zelda went on ahead of him. He became lost in deep thought while tightening the buckles.

'_Goddesses, it really annoys me when Samus does that! I mean, I do have feelings for Zelda, but I just can't tell her. What if she doesn't feel the same? Well, we've become close to each other ever since we escaped the flood. I can't believe how long we wandered the Woods, grieving for Hyrule while searching for this very mansion. We found it, and were lucky enough to be accepted. I know in my heart I love her, but, I just can't bring myself to say it. I don't want to endanger our friendship…"_

Zelda's yelling broke through his thoughts.

"Link! Hurry up, everyone's waiting for you!"

"Okay, coming!" he replied as he finished with his boots.

He then started making his way up the stairs towards the dining room where his fellow Smashers waited for him.

**There's the end of chapter two! Chapter three will be up eventually. By the way, Link now looks the way he appears in Twilight Princess because he's older, if you noticed. Actually, Link is now twenty years old and Zelda's nineteen, if any part of that confuses you. He also has the sword he uses in Twilight Princess, not the Gilded Sword. He had it fashioned in to the sword from Twilight Princess. If you're wondering about my progress, check out my profile if you want. I'll also answer reviews next chapter, if I get any that is. Again, please review!**


	3. Chapter 3: Tournament III

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**animefansupreme: **Yay, my first reviewer! Thanks for reviewing, and don't worry I'm going to make more chapters; I just like to take my time on these things.

**Kobayashimaru:** Hey, thanks man. I'll review your first story too when you get it up.

**NOTES: Sorry about the delay, partly writer's block and partly because of an essay I have to write as a summer project. This fic might be a little confusing later on, so feel free to ask questions if you have any. This chapter is going to be even shorter than the last one, but I really want to get to the next chapter. It should basically set the stage for the rest of the story. Just to let you know, I will not be including Young Link in this story, as I just couldn't figure out how to include him. Everyone else will be included, but if you think that I'm forgetting anyone, let me know and I'll try to fit them in to the story. Although I can't make any promises on the Pokemon, because I really hate them (Well, except Mewtwo, because he kicks ass). Well, here's chapter three for your entertainment. **

**DISCLAIMER: Once again, I must tell you that I don't own the Legend of Zelda series or Super Smash Bros. Melee. These games belong to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories (SSBM does, not LOZ). You probably don't even read this, but I don't want to get sued and be forced in to poverty, so I have to say this every chapter.**

**Chapter 3: The Tournament**

As Link slowly ambled down towards the hall, he heard lots of cheering and clapping coming from his destination. Slowly, he opened the front doors and crouch-walked towards his seat between Zelda and Marth. Luckily, no one noticed him as he clamored up on to his seat.

"Did I miss anything?"

"No, just the usual nagging on the Smashers that haven't won in about two weeks," whispered Zelda back to him, as Master Hand kept speaking to them all.

"…and so, Bowser, your village visitation rights are suspended until you get another win. Maybe this will motivate you in to another win instead of ragging on the other Smashers!"

Bowser just stayed silent and looked the opposite direction, a dirty look on his face, as everyone gave him strange looks that said _'Seriously, how can you not win for two weeks?' _

"Now that that's done with, I would like to talk about why I called you all down to dinner early. After much consideration and discussion with Crazy Hand, and also taking in to account what happened last time, we have decided to host THE THRID ANNUAL SUPER SMASH BROTHERS TOURNAMENT!"

Everyone clapped and cheered as they heard this, then silenced quickly as Master Hand continued his speech:

"Now, as I'm sure you're all wondering, what will be the fabulous prize for the victor? The answer is…whatever you want! Using our combined powers, my brother and I will grant the one wish the victor has always wanted, well as long as it's in our _range_ of power. We'll lay out the rules Monday, and the tournament will start the next day."

There was mass-murmuring among the Smashers after he said this.

"Well, enjoy your dinner and Good Smashing to you all!" **(A/N: yeah, I know, corny) **

After he left, everyone started digging in to their food and talking amongst themselves.

"I wonder what the border line of the wish will be."

"How long will the tournament last?"

"Do you really think they will grant us whatever we want?"

Similar questions were being asked as dinner went on. Link decided to eat and listen rather than talk as he listened in on Samus' and Marth's conversation.

"So, what are you doing this weekend, Sam?"

"Well, I got a request from the Federation to watch over an expedition to planet SR388. You know, the former home of the Metroids?"

"Yeah, I remember you telling me about that little incident. Just try to come back in one piece, okay?"

"Marth, have I ever not come back in one piece?"

"Well…no, I guess not."

Link continued to listen until the bell rang and everyone started to leave. What he didn't expect was Zelda to come up behind him.

"Link, I need to talk to you. Do you want to walk in the gardens outside?"

"Um…sure, I'm not doing anything."

Together, they walked out of the door to the gardens. The sun was setting behind the trees of the Lost Woods as they made their way down the winding patio.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" asked Link with a curious look.

"Well, it's about Hyrule..."

**Yeah, I'm leaving you at a cliffhanger. I know this was a boring chapter, but like I said, it's going to get better. Just to let you know, all the Smashers are free to go wherever they like to during weekends. Oh, and you probably know what's going to happen to Samus if you've played Metroid Fusion, and I've decided to tie it in with my story. **

**NEXT CHAPTER: Link and Zelda are visited by a familiar face…**

**If you want to guess who that is, be my guest. If you guess right, I'll give you a cookie...and please review!**

**(AUTHOR'S UPDATE 5/6: Fixed all grammatical and sentence structure errors in this chapter.)**


	4. Chapter 4: Surprises and Answers

**RESPONSES: **

**Moonbeam: **(Gives cookie) You're right about the King! You'll see if you read this chapter.

**NOTES: Been a week, I know. I had loads of stuff happening at once, so I didn't really have time to update the story. Thanks to my reviewers for donating their time to review my story. I probably won't be able to update again until next week due to a new computer I have received and must set up. Here's chapter four for you all!**

**DISCLAIMER: sigh, Once again, I must say that I don't own Super Smash Bros. Melee or the Legend of Zelda series. SSBM belongs to HAL Laboratories and Nintendo and the Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo alone. Also, since I'm tying it in and I don't want to get in trouble, everything related to Metroid Fusion belongs to Nintendo. God, I hate repeating this crap every chapter! **

**WARNING: I really don't feel like typing this after typing the disclaimer, but again I want to cover my ass. You should all know that this chapter contains some MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS from Wind Waker, so if you haven't played the game…..well you might want to skip this chapter. I will have a small summary for you people who haven't played it yet.**

**Chapter 4: Surprises and Answers**

The thought of hearing the name "Hyrule" brought shivers up Link's spine. "I thought that we both agreed never again to speak of our homeland again," he said.

Zelda sighed, and looked toward the Lost Woods. "Yes, I know, but we can't keep running from the past. We're only making it worse by pretending it never happened."

"I know, but you've never asked me things like this before. It's been five years and we haven't even spoken the name 'Hyrule' since then. What's so damn important that we need to talk about this now?" Link said.

Zelda then stared in to Link's troubled ocean blue eyes and continued. "Link, think about the prize from this tournament. This could be our chance to save Hyrule from beneath the waves, and seal away Ganondorf forever."

"Well, now that you put it that way, I never thought about that possibility…"

"_Interesting, this could be the chance to revive Hyrule."_

"Who said that?" Link asked as he looked around the garden. Then, a white mist amassed in front of them and formed in to a familiar face.

"The King of Hyrule?" Link asked disbelievingly.

"_Hello Link and Zelda. I'm glad that you two have moved on with your lives. As you can see, I'm in spirit form now, and I have returned to this world to give you a warning."_

"Zelda….this is a little weird." Link said as he turned to look at Zelda, who just stared blankly at her now deceased father.

"_I cannot appear to you for long, so I must explain everything quickly to you both. Now, as you knew when you left, Hyrule started to become an ocean. All of my men were swallowed up by the waves, but miraculously I survived. Hyrule Castle and the surrounding area then became encased in a bubble, sealing it beneath the waves. The land was then frozen in time by the Master Sword, right as Ganondorf's forces started to besiege Hyrule Castle. I, however, was turned in to a boat by the goddesses and was granted the task of finding the next hero."_

The King sighed and then continued.

"_As you are no doubt aware, time moves faster in Hyrule than in other countries. As time passed, I watched my people's descendents continue to live despite the few remnants of land in the now newly formed "Great Sea." On one of the islands I observed, some of the boys started to dress like you Link, but only when they reached the age of 13. If I recall, that was the age you started your journey and we started having problems from Ganondorf."_

"But wait, that doesn't make any sense. How did they even know I existed?" Link asked.

"_Well, I recorded parts of our history in a book that I sent with my most trusted servant, and apparently he made it to the island with it. Although some fragments were lost, your story of becoming the Hero of Time was still perceived as legend."_

"What happened to Ganondorf?" Zelda asked.

"_I was just getting to that. Now, when Hyrule was flooded, Ganondorf's castle was also frozen in time and he was sealed away once again in the Sacred Realm. Somehow, though, he escaped 500 years later. I think his power had become so strong, that the Goddesses could no longer maintain the seal."_

"Wait, since 1 regular year here is 100 years in Hyrule now ever since the flood disrupted the flow of time, how come you still lived as a boat?" Link asked.

"_Well, when I was turned into a boat, I was granted immortality in order to complete my mission. Ganondorf didn't age much while he was in the Sacred Realm, so he was able to live that long as well."_

"_But continuing with my story, Ganondorf escaped and started looking for the pieces of the Triforce all across the Great Sea. While riding the waves, I found and saved a young boy that I found floating unconscious, who looked similar to you Links. He embarked with me on a quest to save his sister, who was one of the maidens captured by Ganondorf in his frantic search for your descendent, Zelda."_

"_To make a long story short, this boy even shared your name Link, and he became the Hero of Winds, because of his ability to control a magical instrument called the Wind Waker, which I discovered on my travels and gave to him. He found a way to reach Hyrule Castle via the Tower of the Gods and was able to pull the Master Sword from its pedestal in the castle's basement. When it was pulled, time unfroze and he defeated the monsters that were besieging the castle."_

"_He then saved his sister and the other maidens that Ganondorf captured and embarked on a quest to restore the Master Sword's power. After he did, he found the pieces of the Triforce of Courage you broke Link, and he restored it. With its power in hand, he went to rescue Zelda's descendent from Ganondorf, who now had possession of both the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Power."_

"_Ganondorf was able to assemble all three pieces and attempted to make his wish, but I was able to touch the Triforce first. I chose to completely flood the land, and give the two children a future. The Hero and Zelda's descendent then fought Ganondorf amongst the heavy rains, and the Hero was able to encase Ganondorf in stone by thrusting the Master Sword through his skull."_

"Hey! Why didn't I think of that when I fought him?" Link suddenly exclaimed.

"_It wouldn't have made any difference Link, because his spirit was sealed inside the Sacred Realm by Zelda when you defeated him, remember? His physical condition wouldn't have limited his power. But anyways, the children were able to reach the surface thanks to my remaining magic power and they lived on, searching for another land to call Hyrule, which they continue to search for to this day. I drowned beneath the waves standing on my homeland, and I became in spirit form as you see me now."_

Link and Zelda just stared at him, pondering what they just heard.

"_Now back to this tournament. As I said, this could be the chance we need to save Hyrule. We could completely reverse all that has happened to Hyrule and return it to what it was when we all lived there. So, by all means, try to win this tournament. But be cautious about what you do to win."_

"That reminds me, what's the warning you had for us?" Link asked.

"_I don't need to tell you now, because I sense you'll find out soon enough. Farewell you two, I've used up most of my energy talking to you two. Good luck..."_ With that, the King faded in to nothingness.

No sooner than he faded, the intercom sprang to life.

"Would Link and Zelda please report to my office immediately, as I have something very important to discuss with the both of you."

Still absorbing everything the King had said, they both ran back into Smash Mansion and rushed in to Master and Crazy Hand's office. Link knocked on the door and they both heard the word "Enter". They slowly opened the door, and were surprised to see a familiar green face, its arms folded across its chest, grinning at them next to Master Hand's desk………

**And that's the end of chapter four. Next chapter should be up by the end of next week or earlier, depending on how soon my new computer is working. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review!**


	5. Chapter 5: Old Enemy, New Smasher

**NOTES: I want to give a special thanks to the few reviewers that have taken the time to review my story. You guys are the best! (hands out cookies to all) So, anyway, I apologize for the update time. Setting up my new computer took longer than I thought, and I also was thinking about how I wanted to do this chapter. Anyway, here's the next chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: No one probably reads this, but I have to say it anyway. Wait, I all ready said this on the last 4 chapters, so if you're looking for the actual disclaimer (who would, seriously?), it's on the last chapter. Yeah, that works! Sorry to all you people who want to sue me, I'm just too lazy to type it, so I guess you're going to have to live! **

**Chapter 5: Old Enemy, New Smasher**

They just stood there, awestruck. Here standing in front of them was the very person responsible for so much pain, destruction, hate, and death. The very person that caused the crisis in Hyrule so many years ago, it granted the title of Hero of Time to Link. This evil figure had caused their homeland and all that they loved to be swept beneath the waves of an ocean the Goddesses had created to keep him imprisoned. Supposedly, this man was supposed to be dead after the Hero of Winds implanted the Master Sword through his skull. All of this they believed to be true…yet here was that very man, although older looking since they last saw him, standing before them.

Link's first instinct was to unsheathe his sword and shield, but as he started to reach for them, he remembered all his equipment was stored inside his locker down in the locker room. Before either he or Zelda could say anything, the man known as Ganondorf Dragmire spoke:

"I see you haven't changed one bit kid, or rather, Hero of Time. Still as jumpy as ever it seems. I also see you haven't changed either, Zelda. Yes, I have searched for many years to destroy you both after what you did to me, but instead I was forced to battle another hero, called the Hero of Winds. I did battle with this Hero of Winds, who wielded the very blade that caused my downfall last time, and he succeeded in killing me, or so I thought. But instead I wake up here, found by this Master Hand, and was very interested in his offer to compete in this so called "tournament". I look forward to defeating you both and getting my wishes fulfilled by the Triforce once I wish for it! You, of all people Link, know what I desire most…"

Zelda looked worriedly at Link, whose fists were clenched so tight they were bright red with blood. She saw that determined look on his face, that same look he had given her so many years ago when he first set eyes on the abomination that Ganondorf had turned himself in to. She knew that as long as there was but a single breath in his body left, he would never let this man get his hands on the Triforce once again. Anger boiled inside of him as he heard these words, and almost every curse word imaginable was flowing through his head towards that man.

Then, before anyone could even blink, Link rushed at Ganondorf; driven by his hatred and pain that this one man had caused both him and the one he loved. Before he could even get within arm's reach, he was hurtled across the room by an unknown force, hitting the solid concrete wall. Zelda looked in horror as he fell to the floor unconscious. She started towards him, fear in her eyes, when Master Hand blocked the way.

"Don't worry, Zelda. He's just unconscious, that's all. As you know, no Smasher is to fight with another Smasher outside the arena. I'm sorry that I had to do that to him, but he is no exception to the regulations. You can brief him on everything when he wakes up."

Ganondorf's smirk grew even wider as he watched. But he returned his facial features to a neutral expression, as Master Hand turned again towards him.

"Now, Ganondorf, you may go to your quarters. Your roommate is Bowser, and he'll show you around tomorrow. The room number is 153. Look for the Triforce and Mushroom symbol on it."

Ganondorf did a polite bow to Zelda's disgust, and walked out the door, barely even glancing at Link's fallen form.

"Now, the reason I called you and Link here Zelda, is obviously because of him. You see, like Link and yourself, I decided to take a stroll outside to clear my head **(A/N: does he even have one?)**, and I came across a body laying unconscious on the edge of the Lost Woods, as you call them. I had him brought inside, and he regained consciousness. I offered him the chance to become a Smasher, and he eagerly accepted after he heard that you and Link were residing here."

"That man is responsible for everything, including why we came her in the first place! How could you just calmly help that…monster?" Zelda burst out.

"I understand that Ganondorf caused some problems for you and Link in the past…"

'_That's an understatement.'_ Zelda thought.

"…but everyone deserves a chance in this Mansion. Look at Bowser, for example."

"Yeah, but he's only reformed because he's secretly scared of you."

"Well…I guess I have to give that one to you. Anyways, it's getting late. You should go back to your room, but first, I have to show you something that I believe belongs to Link."

Zelda was awestruck as her eyes settled upon a brilliantly glowing blade…

**I have left you at another cliffhanger. If you hate it, you'll be happy to know that I won't be doing that next chapter. I just couldn't resist, sorry. I also got ideas about another fanfic, but it won't be as long as I'm going to make this story. Oh, and I know that it will involve Red vs. Blue or Halo in some way. Please review! **


	6. Chapter 6: A Link to the Past

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**OperationJonny:** Thanks, glad to hear you like the cliffhangers. Don't worry, I'll keep updating.

**AsianSmoothie: **Cool name! Glad you like it!

**Numdenu: **If you're thinking what I had in mind which is what you also had in mind….then yes, you guessed right! I now also proclaim you a LOYAL reviewer! You have reviewed twice. Thanks so much!

**Keep reviewing guys, they inspire me to write more (Even though I would keep writing anyways regardless, but they help)!**

**NOTES:** **I updated faster than normal, mostly because I was bored and also because I noticed that for each chapter I write, my hits steadily were declining. I figured that I better get some more action in this story (I apologize if you think that the last 3 chapters were boring, but I had to get the back-story across before I got in to the really good stuff.), even though I was planning it from the moment I started Chapter 4. So this story should get even more interesting as I continue to update it, starting with this chapter. Thanks again to all my reviewers and to the (last I checked) over 240 people who have at least looked at my story! Just a comment about the chapter title: I know what you're thinking; it has nothing to do with the Zelda game of the same name. I just think that the title describes this chapter well. So, please don't sue me! Here's Chapter 6 for your enjoyment.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Super Smash Bros. Melee, The Legend of Zelda, or anything to do with Metroid Fusion (you'll see why in one of the next couple of chapters). The Legend of Zelda and Metroid Fusion belong to Nintendo and Super Smash Bros. Melee belongs to both HAL Laboratories and Nintendo. I can't believe I typed that with not one complaint about it!**

**Chapter 6: A Link to the Past **

Master Hand retrieved the glimmering blade off his desk and offered it to Zelda. She took the sword in her hand and recognized it instantly, yet she couldn't believe it had gotten here with Ganondorf.

"Yes, I see that you know this blade; this, Master Sword. Strange enough, it was lying not too far from Ganondorf when I found him. From what I already know from you and Link and what Ganondorf has told me, this sword was wielded by Link when he defeated him seven years ago, and it allowed Link to travel through time. Since Ganondorf cannot touch the 'blade of evil's bane' as you call it, I have decided to give it to Link, since it rightfully belongs to him."

Zelda glanced again at Link's unconscious form as he said this.

'_Maybe we do have a chance after all to win this tournament. I swear, by the goddesses I will work with Link to win this tournament, Father. I won't disappoint you…'_

"Zelda? Zelda! Are you listening to me?"

Zelda broke from her thoughts as she looked at Master Hand, drumming his humongous thumbs on his desk.

"Oh, sorry. What was that again?"

"I said that you should get going, it's almost 11:00. It's a weekend, so the usual rule of staying up after hours doesn't affect you. Link should be waking up soon, so I suggest you both leave. I have papers to file and matches to make with Crazy Hand. Good night."

Zelda nodded, and helped the lifeless form of Link get to his feet and practically dragged him out of the office.

Link's eyesight slowly came back to him as he sat up, looking around the room he was now in. By the Triforce symbol wallpaper on half of the room and the soft surface he was now on, he knew that he was in his room.

"Take it easy Link. You've been out a while."

He looked up to see Zelda standing by his dresser, who was apparently looking at a book that contained the pictographs he had taken in Termina.

"Why am I here, where's Master Hand? I remember rushing at Ganondorf, then being thrown against a wall, and then losing consciousness."

Zelda then told him everything that Master Hand had said, but she left out the part about the Master Sword until the end.

"Link, by the way, I was told by Master Hand to give you this."

Then, she produced a blade that Link hadn't seen in seven years, beautifully wrapped in his old sheath, which Zelda apparently had kept before the King sealed it in the basement of Hyrule Castle. Link was speechless, awestruck at seeing it again.

"I thought it was lost when the Hero of Winds defeated Ganondorf?"

"I thought so too, until Master Hand explained that he found the blade about a meter from where he had found Ganondorf."

Zelda then came forward, having the hilt facing Link. He gripped the hilt, and slowly drew it out of the sheath. He balanced the blade in his hand, holding it up to the light above them. It was the same Master Sword, all right.

"Well Link, I guess I'm going to bed. I'm pretty tired from today. I'll see you tomorrow, good night."

As she started to move, Link got up and grabbed her arm sternly, but not too rough.

"Zel…"

"What?"

"…Thanks. For everything, I mean."

Zelda smiled at him and walked out of the room. Link was glad that he at least got a smile, but he was still mad at himself:

'_You idiot! All you can say is "Thanks for everything"? You'll never let her know how you feel if you keep this up!_'

Link turned his thoughts to Ganondorf's return as he lay on his bed, still wondering how he arrived.

'_I still don't understand how he arrived here of all places. I mean, shouldn't he be dead if the Hero of Winds killed him? Well, it doesn't matter how he came here, he's here. I'm sure Zelda and I are going to spend much more time together because of him, and no doubt he's going to try something on us. Wait, that's it! Maybe this is the chance I need to express my feelings!'_

Link kept thinking until sleep slowly overtook his weary mind.

* * *

As Zelda closed the door to her room, she took a deep sigh as she looked around her own room. It was similar to Link's room, except that she had less space. Samus, her roommate, occupied most of their room to store her emergency equipment, computer, replacement parts, etc.

Marth had told her on his way out of his and Link's room, that Samus had received an assignment to go to some planet named SR388 or something and to escort the Federation scientists there. Even though he was reassured that she would be fine, Marth still looked very worried as he left for his homeland of Altea.

Zelda could have cared less though, as she had the whole room to herself. But the sudden appearance of Ganondorf still troubled her.

'_It doesn't make sense what Master Hand told us. He should have died, so why is he here? I guess it doesn't matter much, since he's here regardless. Hopefully, Link won't be too distracted by him while the tournament goes on. I have a feeling Link and I are going to be spending more time together, especially since Ganondorf is no doubt going to try something. Wait, this might be a good thing for me! Maybe I can somehow express my feelings for Link, but I'm still not sure how. Sam's not helping by teasing the both of us, even though she knows how I feel and is just kidding around. She might still be able to help me with this though, but if she can't even admit how she feels about Marth, I'm not sure she can.'_

Zelda, like Link, thought about this for a while as she lay on her small bed, but eventually she fell asleep.

* * *

Link suddenly woke up in what felt like mere minutes. He looked at his alarm clock, which said 5:00 A.M. on it.

'_I know that I won't be able to get back to sleep. What I need to do is go to a place where I can think.'_

Luckily, Marth was away this weekend, so Link had no trouble exiting his room without anyone finding out.

After grabbing the Master Sword and attaching the sheath to his shoulder belt, he slowly closed the door behind him. Quietly, he walked down the long hall that would lead him towards the Melee rooms. As he passed the kitchen, he heard a loud noise coming from the cooking area. Not wanting to be found, he hid behind a nearby plant as he waited for the intruder or intruders to make their appearance. He tensed as the footsteps came closer…

…and relaxed as Yoshi walked by him, sleepwalking with a mountain of food in his arms.

'_Kirby's going to have to get a lock for their door…'_ he thought as a slight chuckle escaped his lips.

Once Yoshi started heading back to his room, he resumed his path and finally arrived in the Melee rooms. Heading towards the locker room, he opened his locker as he took off his tunic and put on the silver mail. Putting his Kokiri tunic back on, he grabbed his Hylian Shield and the rest of his equipment (except his old sword, obviously), and headed towards the arena transporter.

Right before he stepped in to the transporter room, he remembered that he didn't NEED all of his equipment if he was just going to relax.

'_Ahh, what the hell? It's not like the extra equipment is going to hurt me. I could use the practice, anyway.'_

With that, he stepped towards the selection screen and selected "Hyrule Temple". He then stepped in to the transporter, and was teleported to the stage.

When he landed in the middle of the floating stage, he slowly walked towards the far left side of the stage and jumped on top of the roof of the small structure. He looked down at the beautiful landscape of Hyrule. Even though the ground was just a hologram to cover up the ocean below, Link still felt at peace here. Unlike the other stages (except Brinstar) that were actual live locations, Hyrule Temple was a holographic stage ever since the Great Sea buried it in its depths. He took off his shield and laid it beside him, but kept the Master Sword in its sheath. He sat down and crossed his legs Indian-style while feeling the wind blow back his blonde hair, sending his hat rippling in it.

He closed his eyes and started his meditation, thinking about everything that had happened, and what he must do to raise Hyrule from beneath the waves. He had been doing this ever since his first dungeon on his quest to stop Ganondorf, allowing himself to clearly think and to lay out objectives in the challenges ahead of him.

After twenty minutes of meditation, Link heard a footstep behind him. Allowing whoever it was to appear they had stealth on their side, he stayed perfectly still. He then gripped his sword and jumped high, landing on the floor in a ready stance.

"Thought I might find you here. This always was your favorite stage."

Link watched as Roy slowly came across the stage, his own sword drawn.

"I didn't think you would have the guts to face me after the last ass-whipping I gave you."

"That, my friend,was pure luck; last time, I had a bad shoulder"

Link smirked, and brought out his sword again from its sheath. Roy did likewise.

"Come on Roy, let's spar."

"Stock match, 3 lives?"

"Works for me."

Roy grinned at his opponent, and then brought his sword to his waist, facing it in front of him with the tip facing Link. He was gripping it with both hands now. (A/N: Kinda like what Jedi and Sith do with their lightsabers before they duel in the Star Wars movies as a motion of respect between warriors, if you've ever seen them. Who hasn't?)

Link responded likewise and brought his blade to touch Roy's…

**Cliffhanger! You people are probably used to it now. You can expect a fight scene obviously next chapter, so prepare yourselves. I also realize that I don't give Zelda her time in the spotlight as much as I should, so that should change soon. I'm still thinking up ideas for my other story, so don't expect that to be up for some time. You can expect Chapter 7 (lucky number!) next week. Please review! **


	7. Chapter 7: A Fallen Hero's Weakness

**REVIEW RESPONSES: **

**NOTES: Glad that you all are anticipating the fight scene between Roy and Link as much as I enjoyed writing it. The whole Jedi-like thing last chapter was a motion of respect between the two, and I'm sorry if some people didn't like it. If any of you people want to see something happen in the next couple of chapters, tell me! I'm open to suggestions, just leave it in a review, and I'll consider using it. For the reviewers I already have, once again I thank you all! Now, enough jibber-jabber out of me, there's a fight scene to read. On with Chapter 7!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Super Smash Brothers Melee or the Legend of Zelda, or even the game Metroid Fusion. These franchises belong to Nintendo, and SSBM also belongs to HAL Laboratories. BUT, this story and all the ideas I have in it belong to me! In your face, you copycats!**

**Chapter 7: A Hero's Weakness **

_(Key Fire Emblem theme music)_

Roy broke out of the lock first, catching Link by surprise by a broad stroke across the chest. Link leaped up and soared across the stage, landing and rolling forward quickly as Roy did a downward stroke to where his stomach should have been a moment ago. Link took that opportunity to get a running slash to Roy's exposed backside, which sent Roy upward. Link took no hesitation to do an upward spin attack, scoring a KO for him.

'_That felt weird, for a moment I could hardly lift the Master Sword. Am I out of shape or something?'_

He didn't have much time to think about this, as he was suddenly hit from behind from Roy's fully-charged flaming shield breaker attack, sending him falling off the stage, with no way to get back on.

'_Damn it! I should have seen that coming!'_ thought the Hylian as he respawned back on the seemingly centuries-old structure. He couldn't see Roy, but found his position rather quickly as he was hit behind by a Super-Scope blast. Apparently, Roy found this little toy in a capsule after he scored his last KO.

Luckily, his damage indicator read only at 5 percent as he leaped in the air, doing a backflip behind Roy. Before he could move, he was sent down the winding path leading towards the bottom (A/N: The grassy path in the middle of the stage), hitting the ceiling and the floor about four times on his way down. The Super-Scope fell out of his hand and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Link followed, and an intense swordfight began. Link opened with a downward sword-plant, which Roy counteracted with his Counter move. Link rebounded with a few quick non-charged Smash attacks, but his opponent hardly even flinched. Roy did his full sword's dance, and Link landed on the ground, watching his damage indicator on his wrist climb up to 85 percent. Thinking quickly, Link hit Roy with a low kick and then tried to follow up with a sword flurry. Right before he started the move, the Master Sword seemed to increase in weight for some reason, as he felt as if it weighed over 300 pounds. His hesitation cost him a stock life as he was thrown off the stage. The sword still held Link down, which rendered his upwards spin attack ability next to impossible and he fell, giving Roy another KO. He did a quick fighter's stance, and then ran up to the top, waiting for his foe to return.

When Link respawned, he glanced at Roy climbing up the ledge, heading towards him. Thinking quickly, he sent an arrow to where Roy was going to be, and it hit its target with perfect accuracy. Roy flew up in the air, noticing his damage indicator was now up to 120 percent, and landed near the far right of the stage. This gave Link enough time, or so he thought, to think about his next move.

'_Okay, he has two lives left, I have one. That was a stupid mistake, hesitating to attack, but why can I hardly wield my sword? What's different about the Master Sword since I fought with it? I mean, it's becoming incredibly difficult to perform any forms, let alone a spin attack. When I fought with it seven years ago, I had perfect control…This doesn't make sense. GODDESSES, WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?'_

Before Link knew what was happening, he found himself flying upward towards the sky from a fully-charged upward Smash attack that came from behind. The last thing he heard was the distant word "Game!"

* * *

Link found himself sitting once again in the transporter room, his equipment by his side.

Roy then suddenly materialized next to him, having a triumphant look on his face. He then saw Link's expression and his own suddenly changed to one of worry.

"You did well; Hell, I though I was going to lose like last time after I lost my first life. But, you seemed to be holding back a bit."

When Link didn't respond, his eyes still fixated on the wall, Roy sat next to him and turned to face the depressed Hylian.

"Bad day?"

"Yeah, very."

"You wanna talk?"

Link hesitated, but nodded his head eventually.

"Sure. I could use the company. You and Zelda are the best people at giving advice anyway. Zelda…….."

Link paused at her name, remembering how stupid he had acted earlier.

"It's Zelda, isn't it?"

"Well, that's part of it, but it's also how I fought with you just now."

Roy took a moment to scan the hilt of the Master Sword stored inside its sheath

"I recognize that blade. Isn't that your homeland's most sacred sword? The one that you wielded over seven years ago? I thought that it was left in Hyrule to seal away some evil or something…how did you get it then?"

Link explained everything that had happened that day starting with the King's ghost. He told Roy about Master Hand's tale, how Ganondorf was going to become a Smasher, how he had been knocked out, how he had failed once again to admit his feelings to Zelda, and how hard it was to wield the Master Sword in the last battle. Roy didn't interrupt at all, but just listened to his friend talk. After Link had finished, Roy took a moment to absorb what he had just told him, and proceeded to offer his best advice.

"Wow, guess you did have a bad day. Okay, first off, you should expect some problems wielding a sword you haven't held in seven years. I suggest practicing with it awhile, and your former strength with it shall return in time. I'll train with you if you want."

"Thanks, but no thanks Roy. Training by myself is just the way I work. Even Zelda doesn't help me with that."

"Speaking of Zelda, here's my other piece of advice. You have to admit your feelings for her eventually if you want any shot with her. I should know; getting together with Peach was no easy task at all. I only worked up the courage to ask her out last month, and look where it landed me? I'm as happy as can be."

"Still, I'm not really good with this sort of thing, I never can muster up the courage to say it…"

Roy looked at him as if he had ten heads.

"Bullshit! You're the most courageous person I know! You were the only one who would fight Bowser one-on-one when no one else would after he won against all the other Smashers. And look at what happened: You won, and Bowser became a lowlife who hasn't won a single match since then……"

"That was different. When it comes to fighting enemies or protecting someone or somewhere I care about, I have an unlimited supply of courage. But when it comes to asking girls out…….well, you've never heard of me getting involved in a relationship, have you?"

"Hey, there's a first time for everything. You have to start sometime in life. And if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen: no matter what way you look at it."

Link nodded, glad to have a friend like Roy. For some reason, swordsmen have a special bond with each other, one that allows them to understand how one another is feeling and fighting.

"Thanks, Roy. Who knows, Zelda might feel the same about me."

"That's a start I suppose. Okay, now about this Ganondorf thing. I can't really help you with fighting or anything, since I haven't even met the guy, but I would be on my guard. We shouldn't have any problems if Master Hand trusts him, but I would be cautious anyway. From what you've told me in the past and now, this guy's even worse than Bowser. If Ganondorf is rooming with Bowser, chances are he'll join forces with him and his band of assholes. You and Zelda should stay close, obviously. Samus, Marth, Peach, Fox, Falco, Mario, and I will keep an eye on Ganondorf when we get the chance, so don't feel you're alone in this. I'll ask the Pokemon and some of the other Smashers to also keep an eye on him for us too. Mewtwo will keep his ears open for any plans Bowser and Ganondorf might have. Thank God Bowser's such a dumbass that he doesn't even suspect Mewtwo's helping us. And he shouldn't be discovered by Ganondorf if Bowser trusts him like we all believe him to."

"Thanks, I appreciate the help Roy."

"Don't mention it. What are friends for, right?"

Link and Roy rose slowly from their chairs and gathered up their equipment, heading for the locker rooms. Before he took it off, Link looked at the damage counter/watch on his wrist, which read 9:30 AM.

'_Wow, guess we've been down here a while. We'd better get back upstairs before the others send out a search party or something.'_

After putting away their equipment, they started heading for the dining hall for breakfast, all the while exchanging stories of their past battles and wars, until they saw Fox running down the hall, a relieved expression on his furred face.

"Roy, Link! Thank God I found you two! Hurry! Marth, Peach, and Zelda are already up in the Hospital Wing!" Fox said between gasping for air.

"Fox, wait slow down, what's wrong?" Roy asked.

"It's Samus…"

**Okay, that wraps up chapter seven. As you probably guessed, I will now tie in the Metroid Fusion aspect of the story, which will be explained more next chapter. It should be up in the next week or so, but it might possibly be later because of certain events that are going on in my life. I do have a question for my reviewers: Do you think that I should include an Italian accent for our favorite two plumbers (you're completely and utterly stupid if you don't know who I'm talking about) in later chapters? If I don't do them, will you guys care? I probably will, but I still don't know how I'm going to do them so if you people don't care, I might save myself lots of grief and take the easy way out (but I don't want to be considered lazy...). Thanks a lot, and please review!**


	8. Chapter 8: Total Recall

**REVIEW RESPONSES: **

**Royal Kenya: **Thanks for the suggestion; it helped me make the decision to…not use it! By the way, I just want to say that I really enjoy your story, and I hope that you keep updating it!

**anime/videogame freak: **Don't worry, I'll keep going. Sorry you hate cliffhangers, but you'll be glad to know that this chapter won't end in one!

**WildGamer: **Glad you like it!

**Numdenu:** Don't worry, no cliffhanger in this chapter, but it is really LONG, so don't worry.

**Thanks as always. You guys rock!**

**NOTES: I apologize, really! I hope I haven't lost anyone in my absence. I've been busy with my own life and I've also had writer's block for this chapter. I appreciate the support from all my reviewers and the people who bother to read this story, it helps me carry on. I hope you enjoy this chapter; it's VERY long to make up for it! I'm working on a tight schedule, which will be even tighter once school starts, so I'm going to get as many chapters in as possible before I go back, which is about a week from now. Bear with me, okay?**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Super Smash Bros. Melee, The Legend of Zelda, or Metroid Fusion. These franchises belong to Nintendo and SSBM also belongs to HAL Laboratories. I guess I should also mention that I don't own StarFox: Assault or any games of the series either, as this franchise also belongs to Nintendo. That particular game also belongs to Namco. The only thing that belongs to me is the name 'Great Fox II', and the last part of Samus's story not in Metroid Fusion, completely made up by yours truly. You can tell I'm busy, as I have absolutely no time to procrastinate about writing this disclaimer!**

**WARNING: If you are a Metroid fan who hasn't yet played Metroid Fusion (You really should if you're a true fan), I suggest you skip Samus's explanation of what happened to her before the part I made up, as it contains some MAJOR spoilers. If you spoil the game for yourself, don't blame me because I warned you!**

**Chapter 8: Total Recall**

As they rushed to the Hospital Wing, Link and Roy both tried to get more information about her condition from Fox, but he just simply shook his head.

"You'll see when you get there," he kept saying.

When they finally arrived at the doors of the Hospital Wing, all three rushed inside, the two swordsman barely keeping up with Fox. No one was there to scold them for running, as it was a rarity to even see beings in this part of the mansion, except when one of the Smashers was accidentally hurt inside or outside the ring.

Ever since the damage percent system, which completely nullifies injuries, was adopted in matches, no one came into the Hospital Wing unless a problem developed outside the matches. Dr. Mario and Nurse Peach are basically the only ones that inhabit the bare white halls.

Eventually, the trio arrived at the door to Samus' temporary room. When it slid open, they found Dr. Mario, Zelda, Peach (regular, not nurse), Falco, and, most surprisingly Marth, around an unconscious Samus. Marth was right at her side, stroking her hand gently, as Dr. Mario finished writing down some notes about her condition before turning to face the new arrivals.

"Glad you two could make it. Fox, thanks for fetching them for me."

"No problem, Doc. I'm just as concerned about Samus as you guys are." Fox replied.

"Doctor, how's Samus? I mean, what happened?" Link asked concerned.

"First of all, she's going to be fine. She has a few cuts and bruises, a mild concussion, and a broken collar bone. I easily patched up her cuts, and her collar bone should heal in time for the tournament thanks to some megavitamins. She should be waking up shortly, but I guess we should brief you on everything. Fox, Falco, I guess you should tell the tale."

Fox cleared his throat and started first:

"Well, my team and I were on patrol on the borders of the Lylat System, looking for any surviving Aparoids at the request of General Pepper, when I discovered on my radar a floating..."

"Wait a sec Fox, you didn't discover it, I did!" Falco snapped.

"No, I picked it up on radar first! YOU just happened to be the first one to reach it!" Fox retorted.

The two members of the Star Fox team continued to argue with one another until Zelda finally lost it:

"SHUT UP! This isn't accomplishing anything!"

Everyone's eyes went wide, and the two bickering animals ceased any conversation, both filled with embarrassment. Link was slightly amused, as no one but he knew that when Zelda got annoyed, you'd better hope that you weren't the one making her mad. He learned that right before he left for the Lost Woods to find Navi seven years ago...

'_No, I can think about her later...I mean those memories! I mean…awh, forget it.'_

"Can we get back to the story, now?" asked Dr. Mario, who was as annoyed as Zelda.

"Yeah...I'll just say Falco and I both discovered it. The ship was floating towards our ship, Great Fox II (A/N: This story takes place after Starfox: Assault, if you hadn't figured that out by now). I had ROB check for any lifesigns, and he confirmed just one." (A/N: I know that Samus discovers those non-X host animals on the station, but just for this story's sake, I'm not going to include them. I just couldn't fit them in to the story, as I don't know enough about them yet.)

"I then had ROB bring the ship inside the Great Fox's docking bay, where we boarded the ship. We discovered Samus, unconscious and in a suit we have never seen her wear before. We transported her to our Medical Bay, but thought it best to get her to you, Doctor, so we took in the ship and made a course for Smash Mansion immediately," Fox finished.

"Yeah, and after that, I walked in on Fox and Krystal making out…" said Falco snickering.

"Shut up Falco! At least I HAVE a girlfriend to make out with! Not like you and Katt, who still remains missing to this day thanks to you!" Fox snapped.

This obviously struck a nerve with Falco, as he tried to punch Fox, who blocked it easily and aimed a kick to his ribs. Falco caught his foot, gave it a sight twist, and Fox lost his balance, landing on the cold white floor.

Fox scrambled to his feet and was about to punch Falco in the beak, but gloved hands were holding him back. Link had trouble holding on to the struggling Fox, who kept telling him to release him. Falco was also held back by Roy, who was having similar results. An unknown female voice suddenly shouted:

"IF YOU GUYS DON'T SHUT THE F#C$ UP, I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE BOTH OF YOU NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GIRLFRIENDS EVER AGAIN!"

Fox and Falco instantly stopped struggling and just stood there, flabbergasted, as they turned to face a VERY annoyed Samus, fully awake and not showing any signs of pain.

Marth had pushed his seat back, as he was the first to notice Samus awaken, but now was sliding it back to its place while laughing his head off, along with everyone else except Falco and Fox.

"Sam, you're awake?" asked an astounded Zelda from the corner of the room.

"YEAH, why else would I be talking to you all? It was their meaningless bitching that woke me up; I just couldn't stand it any longer!"

Everyone (except obviously Fox and Falco), started laughing again, while the two animals just stared at the floor, looking for an excuse to go. Then, Fox finally spoke up.

"Um, glad to see you're feeling better, Sam. We're just going to go down to the docking bays now to work on our Arwings. Captain Falcon was just going to show us how to improve our G-Diffuser systems, right Falco?"

"Um, right Fox. Uh…just brief us later, okay?"

"Bye!" they both said and ran out the door, red with embarrassment.

This caused yet another chorus of laughter from everyone, until finally Dr. Mario stopped everyone, his eyes wet from tears.

"Well…I guess that takes care of it. Samus, can you tell us what happened to you?"

The laughter died down as everyone listened to Samus's tale of everything that had happened that weekend from the moment she set out for SR388. She described in graphic detail how the X, a parasitic organism, kills the host creature, taking its DNA and assimulating its form. She then described how she was almost killed when she was infected by the X, and how only the Metroid vaccine saved her life. She told them how the Federation explained that they had lost contact with the B.S.L research station orbiting SR388, and that she was to investigate immediately.

She then told horrific tales of her battles against the X, and especially with the SA-X. This specimen, armed with Samus' old Power Suit at optimal efficiency, hunted her all throughout the research station. She later found out that there were actually 10 SA-X on the station from her computer, named Adam, and that the Federation was interested in the possible military application of the parasites. She also found out that the Federation had been secretly breeding Metroids aboard the station. Knowing the danger the Universe was in and how ignorant the Federation was, she was successful in eliminating one of the remaining SA-X, blowing up the station while taking the planet with it, and escaping the station after fighting an Omega Metroid. She also explained how Adam, her computer, had kept her alive by giving her advice on the mission and providing mechanical support.

No one asked any questions during her explanation, they all just listened to her tale. After she had finished explaining how she had escaped, Marth was the first to ask anything.

"Sammy, that still doesn't explain how you were found unconscious with your ship floating through space."

Samus, slightly amused and taking note of how her name was used, explained how she had to flee from her galaxy while evading Federation patrols looking for her ship. They apparently weren't happy with how she had handled the X situation, and were prepared to court-marshal her, even though she, a bounty hunter, had saved them from total destruction.

"Right before I was out of the system, I came under fire by a massive armada of Federation ships. Adam and I did our best, but we couldn't fight them head-on, no matter the number of different weapons I had on my ship. We slipped in to an asteroid field, pursued by Federation fighters. My shields came down as I got hit by another volley missile, but Adam was successful in bringing us out of the asteroids. My sensors showed no more fighters on radar, apparently they retreated after taking so many casualties. Then, I remember hitting lots of turbulence leaving our galaxy, jutting forward and hitting my head, and losing consciousness."

Dr. Mario then filled her in on what Fox and Falco said, while everyone else vividly remembering the fighting that went on between the two. He also told her what he told Roy and Link when they arrived.

"So that explains why my arm hurts to move. When can I get out of here, Doc?"

"Well, since you've waked up and have suffered no severe trauma, and that your arm should heal functionality in about 4 hours thanks to megavitamins, I'm going to say you're good to go."

"Great! No offense, but I have this hate for hospitals after the X infection."

She got up, declining help from everyone, but then noticed that something was missing…

"Does anyone know where my Fusion Suit is?"

"Um, I heard that Fox has it stored inside your ship, which is currently in the hanger of his ship, which is in the docking bay," said Dr. Mario.

"Ok, I'm going to pay those two loverboys a visit, and maybe embarrass the crap out of Fox while I'm at it. Anyone want to come?"

Marth nodded with a slight glint in his eye, anxious to get some alone time with Samus. Link and Zelda looked at each other briefly, exchanging small smirks.

"Ok Marth, let's go."

They both walked out, hand in hand. As the door slid closed, Link and Zelda both picked up a bit of their conversation with their keen sense of hearing.

"I thought you said that you always come back in one piece…"

"Yeah, but what I didn't mention was the _shape_ I come back in."

They laughed and continued down the hall, heading for the docking bays.

_

* * *

_

_Link, Zelda, Roy, and Peach_

After leaving the Hospital Wing, Link, Zelda, Peach, and Roy made their way down the long hallway, filling Peach in on the new "Smasher" that would be introduced at the start of the tournament. Zelda added her side of the story too, as they reached the end of the hallway.

"It just doesn't make sense. I mean, how does a dead guy that gets a sword implanted in his skull end up here of all places?" Roy asked.

"That's what we were wondering. But, if he still holds the Triforce of Power, it's not impossible." Link assessed, remembering how the King of Evil had escaped death when his castle collapsed the last time they fought. Only he and Zelda remembered that encounter, as they were both transported back through time after he was sealed inside the Sacred Realm.

"From what my father said though, the Triforce split again after he touched it. Unless…"

"Unless he regained Power because he represents it best." Roy said.

"Maybe, but we should think about this later. This will probably be the last day we'll have free-time until next weekend. We should enjoy our remaining three hours before dinner." Peach said.

"I agree. See you at dinner, you two." Roy said as he and Peach walked towards the lounge, leaving Link and Zelda alone.

"So…what do you want to do, Link?"

Umm…why don't we drop in on Marth and Samus and see what they're doing? Didn't the Doc say that the ships are in the Docking Bay?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I want to catch up with Krystal anyways, if she's around that is."

"Why she didn't become a Smasher?" Link asked.

"She wanted to keep earning money for the team in Fox and Falco's absence. At least, that's what she told me."

"Oh…well, let's get going."

"Okay."

As they headed towards the elevator that would lead them towards the Docking Bay, Link just couldn't stop thinking about Roy's advice.

'_The Docking Bays? How romantic is that? Roy takes Peach to the lounge and I'm taking Zelda to the Docking Bays. Why am I so stupid? Roy's right……I have to act soon, or she'll never know how I truly feel! Goddesses, how did Roy go through with it?'_

Little did Link know, Zelda was thinking the exact same thing, just not as dramatic:

'_Goddesses, I wish he would take me somewhere like the lounge, then maybe I can finally say something to him. I mean, why can't Link be more like Roy? He certainly didn't have a problem asking Peach out, did he? Maybe it's not as easy for guys to ask girls out as I originally thought…'_

They both pondered how to confess to one another as they arrived at the elevator…

**I hope you're still awake after reading all this. I'm barely awake to type, so again bear with me. I'll have the next chapter up a.s.a.p, and this time, I'll keep updating my profile for everyone. I'm really trying, so don't think for one minute that I'm not, okay? Thanks for reading and waiting for the update of this story, and please review!**


	9. Chapter 9: Pilot's Test Part I

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**Numdenu:** Again, thanks a lot! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

**WildGamer:** I'm not going to say much about the final chapter, because I want you guys to keep reading, but thanks for the suggestions. I mean, if I spoiled the ending, people would not have to read the rest of the story, because they already know how it's going to end. But I will tell you this: one of your suggestions you told me I've already had in mind from the beginning, and I just might use it…

**OperationJonny: **Glad it wasn't that bad. Again, hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Yami no Megumi: **I'll respond to both of your reviews at once, okay? You were partially right about the guess, but not entirely. But, since I'm so forgiving, I'll give you a cookie anyways! gives cookie. You are now officially a "loyal reviewer", just like all my other loyal reviewers! Sorry you didn't like last chapter, I really tried! I suppose you won't like this one much either, but don't worry! If you're wondering what I'm talking about, see the very bottom.

I love that my reviewers are so loyal! I also appreciate the suggestions. Thanks a lot guys! As I said before, reviews help keep me going!

**NOTES: I'm glad last chapter was interesting to almost everyone, even though I was half-asleep. If you did find last chapter boring, I apologize and I needed one chapter to get most of the background stuff out of the way. I'm also feeling that the story is deviating from the main plot, so I'm changing the plot for future chapters a tad. Well, I'm fully awake now, and I'm kind of sorry to say that I will be going back to school this coming Wednesday, so I won't be able to update as much as I would like. Nether the less, I will promise you guys unless otherwise noted that I will get a chapter up at least once a week (well, except midterms and finals, I probably won't be able to update during those weeks). I can't promise they will be very long, but it will probably be at least average length. But don't think for one minute that I will give up on this story, because I won't! Also, I would like to take this moment to express my sympathy for the victims, evacuees, and their families of the Gulf States that were hit by Hurricane Katrina. I watched it all day yesterday, and it truly moved me to see how they made it through. Okay, here's chapter nine!**

**DISCLAIMER: (sigh) I have to once again remind you for the eight or ninth time that I don't own anything that has to do with, or pertains to The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Metroid, or Super Smash Bros. Melee. These games belong to Nintendo, HAL Laboratories owns half of SSBM, and Namco gets half-credit for producing Star Fox: Assault. I'm trying to avoid a lawsuit, so please don't sue me if you find this disclaimer offensive. But, how could you? You'd probably have to be a "goddamn idiot", as Church from Red vs. Blue would say. Okay, I've done enough talking, let's get busy!**

**Chapter 9: Pilot's Test Part I**

_Marth/Samus_

Even though Marth had been at the Smash Mansion for about the same time as Link and Zelda, he had never been down in the Docking Bays. Now that he thought about it, he never had any previous reason to go down since he usually rode on horseback. But now as he and Samus stepped out of the elevator in to the vast hanger and the many docking pads it enclosed, even he marveled at how big the whole hanger was.

'_Holy crap! We have all of this under the mansion? I mean, this is twice the size of the mansion itself! Oh, so that's why we live on a hill above town; that makes sense now.'_

He didn't have much time to gape, as Samus went running towards the biggest ship in the hanger: Great Fox II. Marth could hardly keep up with her because of his sword. As soon as he did catch up with her, he had to cover his ears so his hearing wouldn't go.

"HEY FOXY! I WOULD REALLY LIKE IT IF YOU COULD GIVE ME MY SHIP BACK!"

Fox looked up from the cockpit of his Arwing in the hanger next to the Great Fox II, nearly banging his head on the slightly inclined canopy window as he heard this. Grumbling to himself about never getting anything done, he slowly dropped the wrench he was holding and climbed out of the cockpit, making his way towards the two visitors.

"I was beginning to wonder when you would finally get here, Aran. I need the hanger space inside the Great Fox for my Arwing anyways. Come on inside." he said, leading the way up the stairs towards the main door of the Great Fox II.

"Sure, whatever. I just hate leaving my ship lying around." she said as they went in.

Marth was astounded by the size of the interior of the ship as all three of them stepped inside. Samus was amused with the look on his face, forgetting that he hadn't been here before.

"Impressive, huh? Sure beats riding horses everywhere. You wanna go with me on a mission sometime?"

"Sure, if you finally decide to go horseback riding with me. What is it with you and animals, anyway?" Marth asked.

"Well, let's just say almost every animal that I seem to meet that doesn't speak or seems intelligent, wants to either eat me, shoot me, slice me, decapitate me, and about anything else you can think of."

Marth sniggered silently as all three arrived in the kitchen.

"Hey, do you guys want some coffee? It just went off, and I can't drink all of this."

"Sure," they both said as the vulpine handed a cup of coffee to each of them.

"Now," Fox said as he took a seat in his regular chair while Samus and Marth sat on one of the couches, "About your ship, Sam. It was in pretty rough shape when we found it. When we dragged it on here, we found out your navigation computer was damaged, and some other things were as well. Don't worry; I had ROB patch up everything, but that A.I. you called Adam did most of the work. Hell, he even fixed some things on our ship!"

Samus flashed a quick smile as she heard this, remembering how he had guided her through the B.S.L. station. As she was about to respond though, a certain blue vixen suddenly entered the room, apparently half-asleep. She grabbed some coffee, but didn't even notice that there was anyone in the room until she had her first sip.

"Oh, hey Sam, Marth. How are you guys doing?"

"Oh, hi Krystal. We're both doing fine, thanks. Marth and I just dropped by to pick up my ship." said Samus.

"Hey, I didn't know you were back." Fox said as he gave her a quick peck on the lips as she made her way around his chair. She then proceeded to grab the chair next to Fox's.

"Yeah, I got back when you were up in the Hospital Wing. Boy, dealing with Star Wolf's remaining ruffians takes a lot out of you. Glad to see you're on your feet again, Sam."

"Thanks, I know how you feel. I'll tell you about my weekend when I get a chance. But first, I'm gonna get my ship out of your hanger now, and set her down in one of the free landing pads."

"Okay Sam, I'll come with you. Marth, Krystal, why don't you head outside to guide us down so we don't hit any of the other craft." Fox said as he and Sam disappeared down the hallway.

Krystal and Marth headed the opposite way, walking down the steps to reach the cold Docking Bay floor. No sooner had they stood there for five seconds, Zelda and Link came up right behind them. Krystal seemed to instantly wake up as one of her best friends came towards her, both of them hugging each other and getting in to a heated conversation.

"Hey, did we miss something?" Link said to Marth as Krystal and Zelda exchanged fast paced words behind them.

"Nah, not really. Sam's just getting her ship off the Great Fox, that's all. Fox went along with her to help her out of his hanger, and we're just out here to watch."

"Oh. Zel and I just didn't know really what to do, so we came down here. What do you think of the Docking Bays?"

"I never knew we had this big of a basement, that's all. You sure you just came down here to check up on us?"

"Well…to tell you the truth, I couldn't think of any other place to spend time with her."

"How about the lounge? You probably could have gotten some, ahem, 'action' there."

"Roy and Peach beat us to it. And I certainly don't want to watch _them_."

The two swordsmen laughed, but it was soon drowned out by the sound of an engine coming from inside the Great Fox II. A certain purple ship flew quite fast out of the Great Fox's hanger, and steadily landed in an empty landing pad. It wasn't long after the transporter beam started operating that two certain pilots beamed down. As they slowly made their way towards the four waiting onlookers, loud bickering and violent hand gestures could be heard from the two of them.

"You know, I didn't need YOUR help navigating my way out of the hanger! I'm a perfectly certified pilot that is capable of landing my own ship!"

"If it wasn't for me, we'd be DEAD! You came out of that hanger WAY too fast!"

"You're just paranoid! If you can't even handle flying out of a hanger, you don't deserve to be called a pilot!"

This just got Fox even more pissed. Then he thought an idea.

"Hey, if you're so brilliant, I guess you can beat me in a dogfight in the Meteos Asteroid Belt!"

"You bet I could anytime, Foxy!"

"Okay then, let's settle this…in the Arwing training rooms inside my ship!"

"You're on!" Samus exclaimed as they both raced up the steps of the Great Fox II.

Zelda, Link, Krystal, and Marth just looked at each other, odd looks on each of their faces.

"Um, what just happened here?" Link randomly asked.

"Well, Fox and Samus got off her ship, and then they started arguing, then…" Marth started to respond sarcastically.

"That was rhetorical," Link said, rolling his eyes, as the four of them slowly made their way up the steps to watch the seemingly pointless dogfight.

**Yes, I know, the chapter was kind of boring. I will make it up to you guys next chapter, when part two is up. I rushed this chapter, if you noticed. If you love space combat, you'll love next chapter. Expect it up this coming weekend. Until next time, please review!**


	10. Chapter 10: Pilot's Test Part Deux

**REVEIW RESPONSES:**

**OperationJonny: **Yup, I bet you've been waiting for a long time. Sorry about that, but I hope you like this chapter!

**Numdenu: **Hey, great thought! I'll have to think about that…

**Ri2:** Yup, there's a space battle! Hopefully you'll like it!

**WildGamer: **Thanks, glad to have good feedback!

**anime/videogame freak: **Again, glad you like it! I'll keep going as long as my fingers will hold out on the relentless amount of work I put them to while typing every chapter!

**I can't say how sorry I am to make you guys wait, but that's life! Good things come to those who wait, and here's one of those things. Keep reviewing; you guys drive me to do my very best work!**

**NOTES: I'm BACK IN BLACK! (Well, I always am, since I always type these notes in bold, but it's the song I'm currently listening to by ACDC, so whatever!) Sorry about the long wait, school so far has been troublesome, and my own social life hasn't been perfect either. But enough of that, this chapter should get interesting! Just to update you guys on what happened last chapter, Fox and Samus challenged each other to a showdown in the Meteos Asteroid Belt, to see who the better pilot is. Of course, they wouldn't risk their own lives for something so meaningless, so they've decided to use the Arwing simulators to do this. Hopefully, this chapter will satisfy my reviewers that like action in a story. Thanks again to all my reviewers; I can never thank you guys enough! Okay, on with Chapter 10!**

**DISCLAIMER: Once again, I must remind you all, even though you probably got it embedded inside your little infidel minds (just kidding!), that I do not own Super Smash Bros Melee, Metroid Fusion, Zelda, or Star Fox. All of these franchises belong to Nintendo, HAL Laboratories owns part of Super Smash Bros, and Namco owns part of Star Fox: Assault. Oh, and my lawyer reminded me to say that I don't own the Meteos Asteroid Belt from Star Fox 64, either. Admit nothing, deny everything! That's his motto, not mine.**

**Chapter 10: Pilot's Test, Part Deux**

As Link, Zelda, Krystal, and Marth made their way in to the simulation labs; they barely had time to see the two combatant's serious faces disappear as the overhead canopies enclosed the cockpits. They ran to the huge viewscreen on the control console to watch as the meaningless contest started…

_

* * *

_

_Fox's POV_

'_Man, this is going to be so easy!'_ thought Fox as the viewscreen of his cockpit finished loading. He glided his hands lightly over the controls, all the names and functions of which he knew by heart. He was so used to dogfighting in these simulators, as he often practiced against his teammates and computer-controlled craft on his downtime.

As the asteroid belt came in to view, he checked all his instruments, making sure everything was green. Sometimes, the computer screwed up and set some of the instruments at very odd levels, so Fox found it never hurt to take a second to check all settings. Fox then checked his headset, making sure it was working:

"Hey, outlawed bounty hunter, are you ready to scrap?"

"If you mean scrap your Arwing on an asteroid, yeah."

"I made some changes to the usual rules in these simulators, so we can get as close to a real battle as possible. That okay?"

"I don't care. A good pilot is supposed to be able to adjust to anything."

"Come on, Sam. I fly in these things ALL the time; I literary wrote the operations manual!"

"We'll see soon, won't we?"

He then switched off his headset; he wouldn't need it for the rest of the battle.

_

* * *

_

_Samus's POV_

'_Just because he flies all the time in Arwings and I don't doesn't mean he has the advantage.' _thought Samus as Fox's comments echoed through her head.

Even though she had only been in an Arwing once in her entire life, Samus felt relevantly comfortable with the controls. She was an expert pilot, after all. The only time Samus had actually flown an Arwing in combat was one year ago right before the Aparoid incident, when she tagged along with the Star Fox team on a mission to Macbeth. It turned out that Cornearian spies had intercepted a transmission from one of Andross' remaining bases on the planet, indicating that they were planning a major offensive against Cornearia using what remaining forces and resources they possessed. General Pepper had requested that the Star Fox team cleanse the planet of Andross' remaining forces, and eliminate the newly elected leader of them, the former Star Wolf pilot and Andross' nephew Andrew Oikonny. Coincidently, Samus had gotten word from the Federation that there was a price on Oikonny's head for providing illegal weapons to the remaining Space Pirate forces in exchange for supplies and vehicles. It was a hefty sum of 500,000 Galactic Credits, so Samus marked the bounty immediately.

Remembering what Fox had said about taking off for a week to the Lylat System, Samus went to him and requested to come along with the team. They accepted, glad to have a fourth pilot along for the ride (A/N: Peppy was obviously retired, and Krystal was still on Cornearia, completing her pilot training at the Academy). As soon as the Great Fox I completed the warp gate jump, it was immediately attacked by Oikonny's fleet. Samus, Fox, Falco, and Slippy took off in Arwings to help ward off the attackers, with Peppy and ROB attacking from the Great Fox I main cannons.

After about an hour of fighting, Oikonny's forces were dwindling, and he was forced to retreat. Samus did some amazing flying, avoiding near collusions with his many commanding ships, as she made a last ditch effort to break through the final line and blow up his capital ship while it was preparing to warp. As she finally made it through and shot off her last bomb, his capital ship disappeared as well as the rest of his ships. They left shortly after cleaning up the remnants on Macbeth, as the planet was almost abandoned of all hostiles, giving the Cornearian government control of the planet once again. Unable to continue pursuing him because of various Space Pirate attacks on outlaying Federation outposts, Samus left the task of finding Oikonny to Fox and his team, which they successfully did six months later, finding him locked in a battle with the Cornearian Fleet in the orbit of Fortuna.

Samus fondly remembered that battle over Macbeth, as it proved to her as well as to the other Smashers that she wasn't just some scumbag bounty hunter like the rest of the beings in her profession: she was a compassionate human being who cared about others, and, even more than that, she was a hero.

She snapped back to reality and checked all her instruments, then prepared herself as the preflight countdown timer reached zero.

_

* * *

_

_The Onlooker's POV_

All four of them stood near the control console, watching the screen as the rules scrolled across the screen:

**Map: Meteos Asteroid Field**

**Yellow Dots: Asteroids**

**Red Dots: Arwings**

**Green Dots: Bombs**

**Arwings only, 1 Bomb, Automatic application of Hyper Laser Cannon Powerup on.**

**Game type: Sudden Death**

'_Just the way Fox likes it,'_ Krystal thought to herself, but one thing that she didn't expect to see scrolled across the screen right in front of the rules in huge blood red letters:

**WARNING: DANGEROUS OPTIONS SELECTED!**

**G-DIFFUSER AUTO-PROTECTION OFF. DANGEROUS SPEED LEVELS POSSIBLE! WARNING: INJURY AND EVEN DEATH CAN OCCUR AT HIGH G-DIFFUSER LEVELS. EXTREME CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED!**

The four onlookers gasped at the words. They stayed silent for a while, just as the countdown timer started. Link was the first one to break the silence.

"Are they crazy? They'll die in this contest!"

"I agree, what is this going to accomplish? Getting themselves killed isn't going to prove anything!" Zelda exclaimed.

"Obviously, Fox wants this to be the ultimate test not just of skill, but of stamina too." Krystal said, almost in a whisper.

"If I know Sam, she probably wouldn't want it any other way. Both of them despise handicaps. This is the ultimate, possibly final…" Marth muttered in a serious tone.

"…Pilot's Test." Krystal finished, as the countdown reached zero, replacing the huge letters and rules screen with cameras of both pilot's viewscreens, Fox designated Alpha 1 and Samus Alpha 2, as well as a general picture of the map layout, and where each Arwing was located.

Both pilots' forward viewscreens filled with the endless black and white specks of space as the match started. They both took off, only at minimal speeds to navigate the asteroids and find each other. Fox remembered it well; just like the real thing, which he had to get past with his team on their way to Venom so many years ago.

'_So long ago, now look at me: I'm an insane fool pitted in a deathmatch against one of, if not the best, bounty hunters in the universe. I have to get through this and win, for my honor, if not, at least survive. For Krystal…'_ Fox thought to himself as he slowly flew between asteroids the size of planets, all the while keeping an eye on his radar. Suddenly, beyond the minor yellow dots of asteroids, a red blip appeared at about 10 o'clock. Samus noticed on hers a red blip at 5 o'clock shortly after Fox noticed his.

'_So it begins.'_ they both thought while arming their weapons as the red blips on each other's radars started heading towards each other…

_

* * *

_

_Samus POV_

'_Okay, laser recharge levels at 25 percent, G-Diffuser power at 75 percent. Hope this works…'_ Samus thought to herself as she started to see Fox's Arwing come in to view. Suddenly, before Samus could even blink, double disk-shaped rays of silver laser fire started heading towards her. She yoked the joystick to the left, performing barrel rolls as she tried to avoid damage. She then retuned fire, hoping she was hitting him as Fox's Arwing streaked past her. She saw a place where she could turn around, and then started a U-turn. At the end of it, she hit the throttle, but was forced to hang on tightly to the joystick as she was thrown back in her seat.

'_What the hell? That shouldn't have happened in a simulator! Maybe that was one of the so called changes that Fox was talking about.'_ Samus thought as she continued to follow the blip on her radar, all the while evading asteroids his Arwing went around to throw her off. She grinded her teeth as she struggled to lock on to his craft, her thumb right on the bomb launcher button. She let off a few laser blasts, hoping she was hitting something, but then she got a lock.

_

* * *

_

_Fox POV_

'_Crap! My shields are only at 25 percent now…'_ Fox thought as Samus's Arwing roared past him. He saw that she was going to U-turn, so without thinking, he hit the throttle. He was flung back in to his seat as his craft took off. Silently swearing at himself for forgetting about the G-Diffuser's increase in power, he maneuvered around asteroids the size of capital ships as he tried to regroup his efforts, silver laser blasts flying past him.

'_She's right on my tail! I gotta find a good place to turn around…'_ Then, he heard something he didn't want to hear:

_WARNING! ALPHA 1, INCOMMING BOMB._

Instruments started flashing as he watched the little green dot crawl slowly towards him. He yanked the joystick down, forcing his craft over a small asteroid as he tried to avoid it. He put every asteroid he could think of in front of it, but none of them stopped it. _'Boy, I'm in real trouble! Wait, what's that?' _Fox thought as he saw something near him, possibly something he could use to evade the green dot creeping up on his six…

_

* * *

_

_Onlooker's POV_

They had silently watched the battle, not one of them muttering a sound except when both cockpits suddenly flew back. Krystal explained that it simulated the operations of the G-Diffusers for both craft, just like in real life, so when they take off in the simulator at high speeds, the simulator compensates for the increase in speed like in real life. They continued to watch until they noticed the green blip following Fox's red dot closely, matching his every movement.

'_Fox, don't push yourself too hard. I respect your determination to maintain your pride, but I don't know what I would do if I lost you…'_ Krystal thought sadly as she and the others just continued to stare at the screen, Fox's blip maneuvering around asteroids, but then the map went white, as did Fox's cockpit viewscreen. Everyone yelled in surprise, trying to determine what had happened.

_

* * *

_

_Samus POV_

"Yes! A direct hit!" Samus yelled as her viewport went white, which didn't matter to her much as it was apparent that she had won. Her instruments slowly regained functionality as her viewscreen cleared. At first she didn't see anything except asteroids floating around on her radar, but a familiar red dot close to her position made her mood not as pleasant as it had been, for she had just wasted her only bomb.

_

* * *

_

_Fox POV_

"Man that was close!" Fox said to himself as he struggled to regain his breath, his heart feeling like it was going to leap right out of his chest. About 10 seconds before impact, he had noticed an asteroid with an embedded cavern carved in the center. Taking a risk, he dove into it with the bomb right behind him. Right after he exited it, it went off, exploding the asteroid from the inside. He then did a quick damage assessment of his craft. The only thing that he had lost was some shield strength, but other than that everything was still green. He then saw where Samus' Arwing was on the map, and he sped off towards it, lasers firing as a distraction while he struggled to get a lock.

_

* * *

_

_Samus POV_

"DAMN IT!" Samus yelled as she swung her fist on the dashboard, her only bomb now gone. She didn't have much time to be angry, as Fox's Arwing picked up speed, heading right towards her with lasers blazing. She did likewise, holding down the laser triggers. Without thinking, she hit the throttle again, her sight slowly fading in and out of consciousness.

'_I've been able to survive speeds up to 10 times this, so why am I having trouble now? Guess it's a side effect of the Metroid vaccine.'_ Samus thought as she heard the same warning Fox did moments before. Time seemed to slow as she watched the green blip fly towards her on radar, silver lasers tearing away at her shields.

BLAM! Her right wing had been blasted off, as her shields abruptly failed.

"NO, I'M NOT LOSING!" She shouted as her other wing blasted off. She made herself increase the throttle to full, the G-Diffuser levels so high now she couldn't move. The last thing she saw before she slipped into darkness was a bright light…

**Did Samus survive?** **Was that light she saw the light of her death, or the light of the bomb going off? Respond in a review what you think it was, and I might give out some more cookies! Once again, thanks to you all for your loyalty and your patience. I promise the next chapter will be up in the next week or so. Thanks again (seriously, how many times am I going to say this?), and please review! **


	11. Chapter 11: Training Day

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**Royal Kenya: **Don't worry, I intend to, but those were some interesting ideas…

**OperationJonny: **Guess what? You're right! And sorry that you don't especially like Fox and Samus, but starting this chapter I'm going to start to focus more on Link and Zelda. Hopefully, you like them! (Laughter)

**Elfbrat18: **Well, you can stop waiting, because the next chapter is here! Thanks for reviewing!

**Ri2: **Oh, crap! That's a writer's error on my part, sorry! Thanks for pointing that out, I'll go back and include G-Diffusers later, when I go back through my entire story to edit things and check my spelling. I was kind of basing the spaceflight on my experiences on two certain games known as Star Wars: X-Wing and Star Wars: TIE Fighter. If you're not familiar with them, they're flight simulators set in space for the PC, so I figured I'd use that type of writing. I also based my writing style on the ones found in the X-Wing series of books, as they're also based on the two games. Check them out if you want, they're pretty good books!

**RoyalFanatic: **Nah, I'm not that mean, I wouldn't kill a Smasher…or would I? (Laughter), well that's ok that you haven't reviewed earlier, since you have now. Glad you like the story, expect more in the future!

**Anime/videogame freak: **Don't worry, I have updated, just for you!

**WildGamer: **Well, that's sort of it. Let me tell you this: she won't be doing anything that crazy again anytime soon!

**Wow, I think that's the most reviews I've ever had for a single chapter! Thanks guys, your reviews haunt me every day until I finally update. I like it, because it keeps me motivated! And I've gotten some new reviewers too, so I must be doing something right. Once again, can't thank you guys enough!**

**NOTES: Yay, I finally updated! Glad to see everyone liked last chapter; I was hoping it wouldn't be disappointing, and it obviously wasn't considering the response I've gotten. Okay, last chapter Fox and Samus fought furiously in the Arwing simulators, each struggling to cope with the high G-Diffuser level. At the end, it appeared that Fox had won, and Samus either had blacked out, got blinded by the explosion, or had even… (Gasp) died! What actually happened to Samus? Did Fox win? Do the onlookers outside the simulators know what happened? Why am I typing so many questions? It's not a soap opera! Okay, I have no answer for the last question, but you can find the answers to the other questions if you read the next chapter. Okay, well I have nothing else to say here, other than I can finally relax and I'm really sorry; this chapter is kind of short, and my life right now isn't exactly going smoothly. So, on with Chapter 11!**

**DISCLAIMER:** **Well, I guess I should tell everyone that I don't own Super Smash Brothers Melee, Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, or Metroid. They all belong to Nintendo, Namco gets some credit for Star Fox: Assault and HAL Laboratories is responsible for Super Smash Brothers Melee and the first game also. I'm too lazy to complain, so I really don't care about writing this disclaimer. Wow, that was out of character for me (laughter)! **

**Chapter 11: Training Day**

"She's been out a long time; Fox, are you sure we don't need Dr. Mario?"

"ROB says that she just has a bump on the head and was knocked unconscious. If he's right, she should be waking up anytime now."

"Both of you are so stupid! What were you thinking, dogfighting at those speeds when you knew perfectly well there were no handicaps to protect you?"

"Krystal, please, I don't wanna fight with you right now. I'll explain why after she finally wakes up."

"Look, she's coming around!"

* * *

'_Am…..I dead?'_ was the first thought to enter Samus's head as she slowly opened her eyes, the swirling haze of light steadily becoming clearer and clearer. She had heard voices somewhere, and was determined to know who they belonged to, and also find out where she was.

The flooring beneath her felt coarse and hard, like those found on your typical spacecraft. Then she remembered what had happened: she had been accelerating, full throttle with lasers firing, towards Fox's incoming craft. Her craft sustained significant damage, both of the wings had torn off and her shields had gone down, and then everything went black.

'_Wait, if I'm not dead, then where am I?'_

Slowly, her eyesight became clear, and she realized where she was: in the training rooms aboard the Great Fox II. As she struggled to sit up, ten pairs of hands helped her, and she immediately recognized everyone's faces. Marth was the first one to speak, a look of joy on his face.

"Sammy, you're all right! We were so worried about you; after your cockpit stopped moving, we got the canopy open and set you down. That robot ROB said you were just unconscious, so we waited for you to wake up."

Samus into his eyes, paying attention to him, until he caught sight of a certain vulpine right behind him. Before anyone could blink, she was up, and had Fox by his vest.

"You jackass! You knew that was going to happen, didn't you? You took advantage of my current condition and set it so that you would win!"

Even though he was in an uncomfortable position, Fox kept a straight face, and then grinned a little.

"Well, actually Sam, after I hit you with that bomb, my viewscreen got so bright that I couldn't see a thing. When I regained visual, I was just barely an inch from colliding with an asteroid, which happened a millisecond later. So, technically this match was a draw."

Samus let go of him, glad that she hadn't lost her honor, but her expression became full of shame.

"I'm sorry I burst out like that; I guess I was just so focused on winning that I blamed whoever was nearest with everything. It was really a stupid contest; I admit it Fox, you're the better pilot."

"No Sam, I was being stupid too. We're both evenly matched. Who we should really be apologizing to are our friends for sticking with us, and not just leaving."

"Hey, it was no problem. Besides, Link and I were really bored anyways," said Zelda.

"Yeah, and despite the danger, I actually enjoyed it. I have to admit, that was one hell of a dogfight!" remarked Krystal.

Both Samus and Fox flashed grins. Their conversation was interrupted, however, by Master Hand's voice over the loud intercom:

"_All Smashers please report to your rooms; it's now 10:00 P.M. I apologize for the inconvenience, as normal weekends don't usually have curfews, but Crazy Hand and I have decided to declare tomorrow an All-Smash Day. That is, everyone will be able to practice all day until 8:00 P.M. tomorrow. Don't forget the next day that the tournament will start. Now get some rest and Happy Smashing tomorrow! That is all."_

"Well, I guess we'd all better get back to our rooms if we're going to practice all day tomorrow." Link commented as he heard this. Everyone agreed and started to head out, saying good bye to each other. As Link and Marth started towards their room after walking out of the elevator, a number of things ran through Link's head.

'_Good, tomorrow will allow me to work with the Master Sword again. If I can renew my skills with it by tomorrow evening, I'll be able to at least stand a chance against my competitors.'_

Link continued to think about his problem as he and Marth arrived at their room.

**_

* * *

_****_The Next Day, 7:00 P.M._**

The hot depths of Brinstar had no effect on Link's stamina as he continuously struck and slashed at the tentacle-like organisms that held one of the 3 platforms together. Right before he went for the last slash, he felt the weight of the Master Sword suddenly quadruple, which caused him to stumble and fall over.

"DAMN IT!" he shouted in the air, causing his words to echo off the cavern walls.His clothes and features were drenched with sweat, representing all the work he had done. All day, since 9:00 in the morning, he had worked furiously here with the lava rise turned off, trying to once again become the expert swordsman he once was seven years ago, but there was still something he hadn't mastered. Something that, even though he couldn't quite place it, he knew he was lacking.

"Why! Why does this keep happening? I've tried everything, and still nothing works!"

At that moment something, like a hidden voice inside of his mind, spoke inside of his mind:

'_There's still something you lack; one thing that was key to your success in your travels through time. It gave you strength, endurance, and most of all, your courage.'_

Link jumped as he heard this mysterious voice, scanning around him for the source of it.

"Who are you? What do you want?" he asked the darkness surrounding him.

'_Only to help you, Hero of Time. You're the only one who can stop Ganondorf from dooming all the races of the Universe to certain death and destruction.' _

A figure glided out of the shadows, its eyes casting away the darkness that foreshadowed the depths of Brinstar…

**Well, that's a wrap! Yeah, I know, another cliffhanger, and on top of that the chapter was short, but how else will I keep you guys on the edge of your seat? Now I can actually sleep tonight since I've updated. I guess I should apologize, but I've had essays, Pep Band (I play the saxophone! 'Laughter'), and now tech design for our High School, so that's probably the reason if I don't update. Check my profile for updates now, since now it has decided to come up on my computer now. Who do you think the figure is? Post your answer in a review and whoever's right I'll hand out a cookie jar to! Well, expect the next chapter sometime in the next two weeks, but I'll try to get it up this coming weekend. Thanks for being so patient guys, and please review!**


	12. Ch 12: Resident Evil: Zelda Edition P1

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**RoyalFanatic: **Sweet, flute's cool. Well your guess is wrong, but it's still an excellent one.

Bowser: "That's a crappy sentence to write for a review response!"

(Hits Bowser with a Beam Sword)

**Ri2: **Um, I have no idea. That question has plagued me for many years, so you're not alone. Hey, your guess is right! Lucky you!

**Elfbrat18: **Yup, you got it! Sorry last chapter was so short; hopefully this one will be better for you! Oh, and glad you enjoy cliffhangers; I do lots of them! (maniacal laughter)

**OperationJonny: **Hmm, you've just given me an interesting idea about Dark Link. As for your guess, you're wrong, but that's one of the most creative guesses I've ever heard. God, I didn't even think of that one!

**JakeCrusher: **Patience young Grasshopper, your reward will come in time.

**WildGamer: **Nope, but again an extremely creative guess!

**anime/videogame freak: **Don't worry, I intend to. Thanks for the review!

**linkmaster2832: **Sorry a million times to you! Don't worry, its revealed who it is in this chapter.

**(Sob), I can't thank you guys enough for sticking with me. You guys are the best! Oh, and free cookie jars with many cookies in them to everyone! Yay!**

**NOTES: OMG, I am so, so sorry I took so long to update! I've been busy working on the running crew of the tech portion for our play, which premiered this Friday. I also have a long list of other things that have taken up my life, so my free time has been extremely limited these last couple of weeks. On top of all this, I completely, and I mean COMPLETELY, rewrote this entire chapter, just because I didn't think it fit with the rest of the story. But I have been able to keep reading my reviews, and I felt so guilty for not updating that I was determined to get a chapter up this weekend. Finally, the wait is over, I have updated! I'll try to never do that again, but if I do, just remember what I said before: I WILL NEVER, EVER abandon this story unless I die (hopefully I won't anytime soon, that would suck for all my dedicated reviewers) or until it's finished, which might be a while. So, without further ado, here's Chapter 12!**

**DISCLAIMER: Well, guess I still have to write this even though I've been gone a while (-sigh-). I don't own Super Smash Brothers Melee, Star Fox: Assault, Metroid Fusion, or the Legend of Zelda. These popular franchises belong to Nintendo, Namco owns part of Star Fox: Assault and HAL Laboratories owns part of SSBM. **

**ADDITIONAL NOTE: I said in my profile that I would do a special Halloween chapter. This is part 1 of it. I've based it on Resident Evil 1, as I just finished watching it for the first time, and I LOVED it. By the way, this chapter contains some gory stuff, and so will next chapter, so if you don't like that sort of thing, you can always skip the gory parts. This isn't a T rated fic for nothing. Oh, and I guess I should also say that for this chapter and the next, I don't own anything related to Resident Evil the movie, or the game series. **

**(AUTHOR'S NOTES 11/29: I've resubmitted this chapter, with some changes to make it more rating friendly, but also with a warning, since one of my reviewers brought to my attention that the action in the next chapter was kind of "M-oriented", which I'm thankful he made me realize that. I really don't want to head down that road, so I fixed some of the content, but there may be still some content that is towards that side, so I'm just going to give my readers a fair warning: This chapter and the next contains some gore and major action-oriented sequences. So if you're not really in to that sort of thing, you might want to skip those sequences in general. I mean, it's not anything utterly horrible, but it may be what you expect to find in a game of the Resident Evil genre. But I also tried to keep some Zelda-style combat in there too. So again, if you're disturbed by that kind of stuff, by all means skip the segment. Oh, and to previous readers: you might want to reread these two chapters, as I've fixed some minor errors on my part that I missed the first time. Thanks, and enjoy the next two chapters!)**

**Chapter 12: Resident Evil: Zelda Edition Part 1**

As the figure slowly glided towards him, Link raised his sword, ready for whatever this "thing" had in store for him. All of his other weapons were still back in his locker, but that was okay with him. He had the Master Sword, although he wasn't fully confident in his abilities since he was still lacking his former strength. Drenched with sweat from the heat, he waited for the figure to finish its speech.

'_Don't be intimidated, Hero of Time. As I said, I wish to help you regain your former strength.'_

Then the figure came into view from the endless depths of the shadows.

"Mewtwo…" Link said in awe as the psychic Pokemon levitated down onto the same platform as him, eyes lustrous in the blackness of Brinstar. Even though he had seen Mewtwo on numerous occasions, Link had never bothered to make conversation with him. From what he had heard, Mewtwo disliked all beings inferior to him, particularly humans and their humanoid counterparts.

"How did you know that I was the Hero of Time? Or, for that matter, how do you know what will help me regain my former strength?"

"_I read your mind just now, and have also been watching you these past couple of days. I've seen how the effects of being a fallen hero have affected you, both physically and emotionally."_

Mewtwo's eyes glowed with a bright yellow in the darkness as he spoke, each word seeming to cause a tingling sensation in the back of Link's mind.

"Well, I guess I'll accept any help you can give me. Everything I've tried has failed."

'_Very well, then. Think for a moment about your past. What was it that made you bound to your fate?_

"My past hasn't been a particularly happy topic for me," he muttered, looking across the endless cavern in the distance, "ever since I failed…when I failed them all."

'_I respect your past troubles, but they won't help you recover; they'll just weaken you. Think for a moment. You once possessed something that granted you your former strength, an object that represented your determination, wisdom, and most of you're your courage.'_

Link felt as if he had been struck by lightning, a realization passing through his mind.

"My Goddesses, of course! The Triforce of Courage!"

'_Yes, the piece of the Golden Power that you once were the guardian of long ago. During your travels through time to defeat Ganondorf, it granted you the power to wield the Master Sword to the fullest extent, and that strength remained with you after you laid it to rest. But since it was wielded by another after you, that aftermath of strength was drained from you and passed onto the Hero of Winds. That's why you have been having so much trouble wielding it; your body and soul are wounded by the scars of your past, and the lack of your former strength completes that weakness._'

"Still, there's no way I can recover the Triforce of Courage now. Last I heard the Triforce split again after the King of Hyrule made his wish for Hyrule to be sealed beneath the waves."

'_And, if I read your mind right, you're fighting in this tournament to bring it back above the waves. Ganondorf is fighting for the same thing, although for more malevolent purposes.'_

"Roy told me that you've managed to keep an eye on him."

'_He would be correct. I've also been able to work my way into his inner circle, becoming his second-in-command while maintaining a low profile. Easy since not many of the Smashers trust me, as I do not trust them either. But you, Link, you interest me. Ironic, since humans and humanoids of all types are my enemies, after what…they did to me. Maybe my interest is due to the fact that I've never seen anyone possess such a strong will, or so much courage all at once.'_

"But none of that will help me recover the Triforce of Courage."

'_There is a way. I could teleport you near its location, but you would encounter many dangers.'_

"I'm ready to do whatever it takes. Just let me grab my gear and I'll come with you."

'_No, you don't need your other weapons. All you need is the Master Sword.' _

Link shifted uneasily at the thought of just fighting with the Master Sword alone, but nodded to symbolize his acceptance. Of course, Mewtwo knew what he was thinking but decided not to say anything.

'_Ok, then hold on. I don't have to explain teleportation to you, since you're used to teleporting with the Ocarina of Time.'_

Mewtwo's eyes began to blaze with a solid purple color as a white light encompassed them both for a brief second, and then they were gone.

* * *

Link felt himself fly at the speed of light, which didn't bother him much since he was used to teleportation like Mewtwo had said. The feeling came to an end when his feet hit what felt like solid rock.

When his eyesight returned to him, he saw Mewtwo standing ahead of him, or rather _levitating_.

They seemed to be underground, in an ancient looking hallway, similar to the ones Link found long ago in Hyrule Castle's secret passageways.

"Where are we?"

'_You may feel familiar with the type of hallway this is. Or, better yet, what building this hallway belongs to.'_

"You mean?"

'_Yes, we're about 30,000 feet below the sea level of the Great Sea. You're in Hyrule Castle.'_

Link just couldn't believe it. After all these years, he was finally back. But, something didn't seem right to him.

'_You may be wondering why we're not currently underwater. Even though the King of Hyrule ordered the Goddesses to drown the land, the castle was protected inside a sort of shield. Only the castle survived the flood without any flood damage.'_

"Wait, so is this where the Triforce of Courage now rests?"

'_Yes, why else would I bring us down to this seawreck? I do fear, however, that it is well protected by some kind of creature or creatures Ganondorf left behind in case you ever came here to get it back. We must be cautious, at least until we reach the hidden basement in the main throne room, where I feel Courage resides.'_

Link drew the Master Sword from its sheath, focusing his mind on battle as they started down the long dark path, Mewtwo guiding the way with a charged dark energy ball floating in his palm. Link still couldn't understand how the psychic Pokemon knew where exactly Courage resided, or even how he knew the history of Hyrule. It's as though Mewtwo had lived here his whole life.

Soon, they came out of the dark tunnel, and into the main throne room.

Link winced as he viewed the destruction caused to the massive statue of him. Mainly, the ruined stature was sawed in two, but there were also many fragments missing from his shield, sword, and face. The wreckage looked beyond any type of repair.

Mewtwo paused, closed his eyes for a brief moment to focus, and then reopened them.

'_Yes, I sense we are near. But these statue pieces are blocking our way. I shall try to move them via telekinesis, but it might take some time. Keep an eye out for any sign of trouble.'_

"I don't know how much help I can be, seeing as I can't fight with this thing as well as I used to," said Link as he despondently looked at the floor.

'_Link, not all of your strength came from the Triforce of Courage. Most of your strength comes from the courage you were born with. Remember, you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Fighters like you have the ability to reach a kind of climax in battle, and everything seems to become second nature to you, while time seems to move in slow motion. Take a look around in this room, and I'll alert you when I'm done.'_

Mewtwo turned away and proceeded to remove the rubble, slowly piece by piece. While he did this, Link took off towards the nearby stairwell.

* * *

As he made his way upstairs,Link stopped at a portrait of Zelda, and her 6 aides.

'_She's so beautiful in this picture. I wonder why I never saw any of these aides while I explored here, though. Hopefully Mewtwo will finish quickly, and then I can get back to her. I'm the only protection she's got now.'_

Then, he heard something roll out from behind him. He raised the Master Sword, ready for any kind of creature Ganondorf had left him as a "present". But as he stepped around the pillar, he didn't expect to see a _Hylian Soldier_, shuffling slowly along the cracked floor towards him. He wore the traditional Hylian armor, but something didn't seem right about him.

"Hey Mewtwo, I found a survivor from the floods!" he shouted as he approached the figure.

"Hey, are you alright? You're going to be okay." he said as he approached the man. But as he got closer, he noticed there was what seemed to be dried blood streaming down his face, and his skin was a tinted bluish color.

The Hylian reached out his hand to steady this "soldier" as he stumbled again. But then, a sudden change reaction seemed to occur, as it became active and started trying to bite Link! He fell to the floor while dropping the Master Sword, struggling to keep this thing from biting his neck. He barely managed to get his hands around its neck and snap it, causing a puff of black smoke to blow up in his face.

Link was horrified, and rarely did he truly become afraid. Never in all the years had he been adventuring had he encountered such a grotesque creature. Well, it was comparable to ReDeads, but at least they weren't actual people!

"Um, Mewtwo, what in the name of the goddesses was that?" he said to what seemed to no one in particular.

Link got his answer from the inside of his mind:

'_I didn't sense any life-force coming from that man. Basically, he's what you humans call a zombie. I heard Ganondorf talking to Bowser once about secret genetic experiments he'd been conducting during his second takeover of Hyrule while you were away. He'd been combining Redead cells with other cells of his monsters, and this is what he got. I believe he calls it the R-Virus, obviously giving a nod to the ReDead cells. He explained that it reanimated the deceased body, giving it basic functions, and that it possessed great possibilities for his current army. He also said that unfortunately to his dismay, he wasn't able to use the virus earlier, for it was not completed until he was imprisoned again .He had only perfected it right before he fought with the Hero of Winds. He also said that he had left some samples of the virus in Hyrule Castle accidentally, but I guess he figured it would be a nice present to leave you if you ever came back here, so he left it. It must have escaped into the air briefly during the second flood, reanimating the dead bodies on the higher floors.'_

Link thought he recognized this plot. Last month, some of the Smashers couldn't stop talking about some movie they had watchedone night called "Resident Evil". Apparently, Captain Falcon had brought it back from his last trip to Mute City or "New York as it used to be called, and said it would be a good movie for some Earth holiday called Halloween. Link had seen it himself, and the way that zombie Hylian had looked had reminded him of how the victims of the T-Virus had looked liked in the movie. It also reminded him of ReDeads. How he hated those things!

'_Hmm, deja-vu. Wait, didn't a whole lot of them surround the commandos after the first one was slain in the movie?'_

Link swore to himself as he picked up the fallen Master Sword and ran down the stairs to where Mewtwo was. He found the Pokemon surrounded by other "infected" Hylians. Mewtwo scanned around him, realizing he was outnumbered as the "dead" slowly closed around him.

Link remembered something he had learned in the movie, and, without thinking, drew his sword, running full speed at where Mewtwo was, and did a high somersault in midair. He finished with slicing off the heads of about 6 of the creatures, instantly decapitating them. All six then disappeared in a puff of black smoke, like the rest of Ganondorf's creatures.

Link got in a ready stance, his back to Mewtwo, who had a fully-charged dark energy ball ready for them.

"Aim for the head, it kills them in one hit."

'_I know that; I saw Resident Evil on Halloween night too, you twit.'_

Link smirked as the zombies continued to circle, all hungry for the two Smashers' flesh and blood.

**I know, hate me for leaving you at yet another cliffhanger, but I will have the next chapter up by next weekend, because I'll have some time off. I have some cool things I'm gonna use for this fight, but I can't do anything until tech is finished. (This is the last week of it, yay!) Thanks for reading, and, as always, please review!**


	13. Ch 13: Resident Evil: Zelda Edition P2

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**NOTES: Well, glad to see people liked the last chapter. I was really sweating it whether or not you guys would like what I did with this story. I'm happy to announce that I've reached 50 reviews! Wow, I feel so proud! Thanks to all of my reviewers for your support! Of course, I'm still going to continue with this story, so hopefully I'll gain more reviewers as I go. I hope that you guys don't mind that I was a day late, as I fixed some details in this chapter and ran out of time to post last night. Okay, so without further ado, on with Chapter 13!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own SSBM, or Star Fox: Assault, or Metroid Fusion, OR Resident Evil (For these two chapters). SSBM belongs to Nintendo and Hal Laboratories, Starfox: Assault belongs to Namco and Nintendo, Metroid Fusion belongs to Nintendo, AND everything pertaining to either the movies or the game series Resident Evil belongs to Capcom. Obviously if I owned all of these things, I wouldn't be writing this fan fiction, and instead be creating fantastic games for everyone! I would also have lots of money, but sadly I don't have any. So please, just leave a poor guy in peace, you big companies! **

**Chapter 13: Resident Evil: Zelda Edition Part Deux**

The circle seemed to reduce in size as both Mewtwo and Link stood ready, waiting for whatever these things were going to do.

"Got any ideas? I mean, I've got some, since these things are similar to ReDeads, but other than that, I'm out."

'_A few. One may be that you hold them off while I continue moving the rubble.'_

"But how can I defeat them? I mean, I don't yet have the Triforce of Courage, so I'm still clumsy at battling."

'_But you were able to perform that midair jump, and take out 6 of them. I don't think a quote "clumsy" person could do that.'_

Again, the circle reduced in size, as their enemies continued to move in.

'_If you're going to do something, better do it now.'_

"Fine, I'll hold them off. How much time do you need?"

'_5 minutes. Maybe less.'_

"Ok, then. Deal."

With that, Link and Mewtwo both jumped in opposite directions. Link broke into a forward somersault, grabbing on to the railing of the stairs and clambering over it. There were no zombies on it, as all of them were on the first floor of the huge room. Mewtwo simply teleported in midair to the opposite pair of stairs, then released his fully-charged dark energy ball.

A blinding explosion of dark matter followed, taking out about fifteen of them; puffs of black smoke marking where the monsters had just stood. After the smoke cleared, Link jumped down into the mass of zombies, defeating some on his way down. The puffs of black smoke dissipating around him did little to distract his focus. He did a roundhouse kick to the head of one, then came around with the Master Sword and decapitated another, sparking more black smoke. He took off running, cutting down one after another. It became a fluid motion: cross over left, cross over right, and so on. The shockwaves of dropped stone couldn't distract his focus on what he was doing. Right as he killed another and the traditional puff of black smoke following it, he tripped and fell face first on the cold stone-floor.

He slowly looked up, seeing the Master Sword about a foot ahead of him. He reached for it, barely grasping the hilt of it, when one of the things reached him. It was missing its lower torso for some reason; pulling itself along with its arms. Just as it was about to sink its teeth in to his outstretched gauntlet, it exploded, dark energy encompassing its body. He didn't have time to react though, as it disappeared into a brilliant display of black smoke. Link grabbed the sword while doing a forward shoulder roll and got back on his feet. He looked up to where Mewtwo was standing on the stairs, both of his hands charging another energy ball.

'_Thought you could have used a hand. I've cleared the entrance to the basement, let's go!'_

Link crescent-kicked another one in the face, sending up more black smoke, and started sprinting towards the basement entrance, killing every zombie impeding his path. Right and left, puffs of pitch black smoke followed seconds after he ran by. Right before he reached the entrance, he did a forward somersault; landing right on the stairs, where Mewtwo was waiting for him.

'_How did you learn to move so nimbly? I've never seen a normal human perform such acrobatics.'_

Link knew the answer. On his last quest before he started his return trip to Hyrule, Link met an old man who studied all kinds of martial arts and swordplay. He studied under this man for a time, which improved all of his skills dramatically, until he decided it was time to go back to Hyrule. The old warrior didn't bother trying to convince him to stay, for he sensed inside the Hylian his inner strength and determination. They both knew that he was ready to leave.

'_Ah, I see…'_ said the voice of Mewtwo in his mind, revealing that he had read his thoughts.

"Um, we might want to leave, Mewtwo," said Link, noticing the remaining zombies coming ever so closely.

'_Affirmative, follow me!'_

As they approached the bottom of the stairs, a familiar golden light started to chase away the shadows on the walls.

'_I sense that we are near. Listen Link, you only need to touch the Triforce of Courage, and then it will once again become a part of you. After that, we can leave. But you must hurry, for the undead Hylians will eventually figure out how to get down here, even though their intelligence is severely limited.'_

"Right, just keep them at bay for a few minutes, and I'll get the Triforce of Courage."

But as they reached the bottom of the stairs and gazed into the glassed room, filled with the familiar stained windows of the sages of Hyrule, they were faced with one final obstacle, literality standing between them and the Triforce.

* * *

Link could find no words to describe what he saw, for it was absolutely the most grotesque creature he had ever seen. It stood his height, but that was the only similarity to anything human. It only had one eye, the other one covered by a huge mass of yellow flesh. It encompassed large teeth, and a mouth large enough to swallow a human leg whole. The rest of its body was covered in leather and chains, similar to a biker outfit, only it seemed to be for another being. It then dawned on him what this monster was: it was the beast Nemesis.

'_Real original, Ganondorf. You first copy the T- Virus from Resident Evil, and now you copy Nemesis from Resident Evil: Apocalypse! What an idiot! Doesn't he realize there's something called copyright laws in place?_' thought Link as he watched the figure.

Suddenly, it spoke in a low, raspy voice:

"I am Nemesis. Lord Ganondorf said you might arrive here to collect the Triforce of Courage if he failed to grant his wish. I was placed here just in case you got past his new 'minions'. If you want to collect the Triforce of Courage, you must defeat me Hero of Time."

"Fine, I accept your challenge," said Link, wondering why this Nemesis could talk, whereas the only thing the one from the movie spoke was "S.T.A.R.S" (A/N: 'Special Tactics and Rescue Squad' for all you non-Resident Evil people).

But he was distracted from the sounds of moaning coming from the distance: apparently the undead had finally realized how to open the trap door.

'_I will hold off the remaining zombies, Link. You defeat Nemesis'_ said Mewtwo as he launched volleys of dark energy at the grotesque beings.

Link pulled the Master Sword from its sheath and got into a ready stance with both hands on the grip of the sacred sword, awaiting Nemesis to make the first move. But what happened after that, Link never expected in his wildest dreams.

Nemesis pulled out this massive one-handed chaingun; just like from the movie, and took aim at Link with a green laser sight.

"Awh, son of a……" Link barely managed to say as Nemesis fired, bullets streaming everywhere and drowning out the rest of his sentence. He did a forward somersault off the first stairway while evading fire with some evasive maneuvers, then performed a forward roll towards a nearby column. Nemesis continued firing at the column which Link was hiding behind.

'_I forgot, Nemesis is armed with a chaingun in the movie. How did Ganondorf develop that weapon? And secondly, how did he even know what Resident Evil was? None of this seems possible in my world, but maybe in Samus' or Captain Falcon's galaxy. But, wasn't he also armed with a rocket launcher? Wait, then that means…awh, crap!'_

Link did a roll to his left as the column he was once hiding behind burst in to flames. He had to shield himself from all the glass following the explosion, which still managed to penetrate through the fabric and skin of his arms and legs, puncturing parts of his skin. His gloved hands protected his face and the chain mail he wore protected most of his body.

Boldly acting on impulse, Link rose up and ran straight at Nemesis. He switched back to his chaingun and resumed firing, but Link was ready this time. He kicked off the ground, evading fire, and did a downward slash at Nemesis' chaingun, slicing it in half. Nemesis roared and threw it aside, taking out his rocket launcher. But before he could lock on, Link sliced that in half too. Now agitated, Nemesis threw that aside and put up his fists.

'_Link, hurry! I can't hold back these things for much longer!'_ echoed the weakening voice of Mewtwo, who was having difficulty holding back the remaining zombies pouring down the basement stairs.

Link sheathed the Master Sword, deciding that it would be fair to battle without it, and got in to a similar fighting stance.

Nemesis threw the first punch, which Link blocked and countered with a kick to the head. Nemesis blocked it, and threw another punch at Link's face. He ducked, then did a punch to Nemesis' stomach. The blow didn't appear to damage him physically, as he recovered quickly and did a front kick to Link's chest, sending him backward towards the giant knight statues.

"You can't beat me Hero of Time! Without the Triforce of Courage, you're nothing!" roared Nemesis.

"No, you're right, I can't beat you now…" said Link, reaching towards the pedestal in the middle of the statues, "but now I can!" he concluded as he touched the Triforce of Courage. Nemesis, in fear, ran towards him quickly, but was blinded by a bright ray of golden light.

It encompassed Link as the Triforce of Courage became one with its owner, appearing once again on the top of his left hand.

Shortly after regaining his vision, Nemesis' one eye filled with momentary shock as Link sped towards him in lightning speed, performing a powerful roundhouse kick to his head. It sent him flying towards the wall, causing great damage.

Roaring in fury, he came at Link again, his fist flailing everywhere. Link dodged these punches easily, hardly even moving to counter. All of a sudden he reached out, grabbing Nemesis' outstretched arm. He gave it a slight twist and _crunch_, it broke. Nemesis roared in pain, withdrawing momentarily from the powerful Hero's grip, but that was all the time Link needed. He quickly drew the Master Sword, and with expertise and precision, created a great gash in him. Then, the deceased monster disappeared in a puff of black smoke, just like all of Ganondorf's other monsters.

Link stopped to admire the top of his left fist; the Triforce symbol now faded in to his skin. The lower left triangle of the sacred symbol glowed a clear golden hew. But a growl from a frustrated Mewtwo interrupted his thoughts. He had no choice but to teleport away from the entrance, giving the undead Hylians access to the room. Mewtwo appeared right next to him, bruises highlighting his white skin.

"Mewtwo quick, let's get out of here!"

'_Affirmative.'_

Then, with the speed of light, both he and Mewtwo were gone, just as the zombies reached their position.

* * *

"Huh?" Link murmured sleepily as he woke up, sweat draping his sheets. He looked around the darkened room he was in, and realized immediately where he was. By the familiar Triforce wallpaper, both the Master Sword and his Hylian Shield placed on the wall, and the sleeping form of Marth on the other side of the room, he knew he was back in their dormitory.

'_Wow, what a strange dream…guess all that training went to my head. But how did I get here? Last I remember I was training on Brinstar…' _

That was the last thought in his head as he drifted off to sleep.

Unknown to Link, who now slept peacefully, a lone figure was levitating on his windowsill, leaning against the wall with its arms crossed in front.

'_He remembers what happened as a dream, nothing more. Only I have any recollection of the incident in its entirety. It was necessary to do this, to protect my cover in Ganondorf's ring of minions, and also for this hero's own safety. Although, this proved to be a good test, as I've never seen a mortal human that powerful in all of my time in this life. I will continue to observe this human, as I've taken an interest in him. He may become either a valuable ally, or a threatening enemy in the future. I will, however, leave the Golden Power with him, as that was my goal from the start. It'll be interesting to observe how he reacts to this revelation tomorrow. Link, I'll keep watching you. We'll meet again...'_

With that, he leapt down from the windowsill to the darkness encompassing the grounds below. The only thing that kept the darkness at bay, from fully devouring the two resting figures, was a faint golden glow emitting from the nearest one's left hand.

**Wow, what a big plot twist! What in the world could Mewtwo be talking about? Maybe he's not who he seems…only time will tell. I should have the next chapter up in two weeks, if not sooner. If you're looking for my latest progress on this story, you can find it on my profile. Ok, that wraps up this chapter. Thanks for reading, and as always, please review!**


	14. Chapter 14: Not Your Typical Morning

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**Elfbrat18: **(laughing) That's quite okay that you were giggling when Link and Nemesis went at it (I understand the cat thing; I have four!). Anyways, glad you liked it. Yeah, breaking Nemesis' arm demonstrates that Link can be a badass when he wants to be. Hey, maybe he could even give Leon a run for his money! (If you know what I mean. Hint: Play RE4; he's the main character and the one you control in the game.)

**pinkythesnowman: **Yeah, I appreciate the fact that you take the time to "make up" for the bad reviews. Maybe if there were more reviewers like you out there for stories that get relentlessly flamed, the world would be a better place! Ah, who am I kidding? The world is the way it is. No, Nemesis isn't big and green like a booger (lots of laughter) although it's an amusing thought. He's more of a yellowish color, like a giant yellow booger with teeth (more laughter, man I can't help thinking like this!). Yes, Mewtwo could possibly be INSANE, but only time will tell. Don't think you've seen the last of him…

**RoyalFanatic: **…I guess your four favs love chess, huh? (laughter) I'm gonna try to give everyone a fair chance in the tournament, even the Pokemon!

_Pikachu:_ "Yeah, right! You're just gonna knock us out of it early and give us lumps of Smoal!" ("Smoal" is copyright of Rooster Teeth, makers of Red vs. Blue!)

_Me:_ "Umm…" _Fiddles with a piece of Smoal _(copyright)_ in his hands_

**OperationJonny: **I'm gonna respond to both of your reviews in one! Yay! First off, yes I love the ideas you're giving me. In fact, I love all new ideas! Thanks for pointing out the "M" carnage thing, as it caused me to fix many things that could have possibly led this story to deletion (gasps and looks of horror shroud the audience)! So thanks, I really appreciate that!

**R.S.Lee: **Yes, weird world, isn't it?

**WildGamer: **Like the Mario idea, but sorry you didn't really care for the Nemesis idea. I really took a chance with that one, but hey, I can't please everyone!

**anime/videogame freak: **Don't worry, I'll keep going!

**Kaiser Aldamon: **All right already! I've updated! Sheesh! By the way, what does "11" mean?

**Jlink: **Please, don't remind me! (voices start yelling in my head to update) But don't worry, I've finally been able to update! (voices stop)

**mew katt the sith lord:** OK! OK! OK! OK! OK! OK! (laughter) By the way, nice name! Star Wars fanatics are always welcome here, as I'm an avid one myself!

**Wow, my hands are killing after answering all those reviews (wipes sweat from forehead), but hey, it's always worth it to answer people who take the time and energy to review my story. You guys are absolutely the best, hope you all got what you wanted for Christmahanikwanza! Oh and here's my two presents to you guys, if a bit late. First off, the new chapter. Second, these fantastic things! (Hands out bags stuffed with cookies of all kinds)**

**NOTES: Merry Late Christmahanikwanza** **and a Happy New Year to everyone! I really apologize for not updating sooner, but I got caught up in the holidays (like I'm sure everyone else did), and just decided to wait until New Years Day to update (actually, I've been too busy playing RE4, as I got it for Christmas! Sweetness!). I figured a fresh chapter would be the best thing to welcome 2006 with! I would also like to apologize to anyone that I might of traumatized because of the fact that the last two chapters were sort of "M" oriented (as a certain reviewer helped bring to my attention, which I'm extremely grateful for). I've fixed those two chapters so they're less gory, and also fixed some errors on my part, so check them out if you want. (laughter) Guess I got a little carried away with details those last two chapters; but now they're fixed so water under the bridge now or whatever you want to call it. I gotta thank my reviewers and all my readers for being patient with me, as on many occasions I've felt guilty because I hadn't updated yet. But now I don't have to, as Chapter 14 is here! This chapter is pretty long, and I know I said that the tournament was going to begin this chapter, but I decided to begin it next chapter instead. Yes, hate me if you must, but I'm starting it next chapter! This chapter's sort of a comic relief/character development chapter, so bear with me.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Super Smash Bros. Melee, Star Fox Assault, Metroid Fusion, or The Legend of Zelda. SSBM belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories, Star Fox: Assault belongs to Namco and Nintendo, Metroid Fusion belongs to Nintendo, and The Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo. I guess some things never change, no matter what year it is…**

**Chapter 14: Not Your Typical Morning**

The lustrous light of the morning sun illuminated the dark room of Link and Marth, peaking in little beams through the massive curtains that hung over the two windows near Link. However, neither noticed any indication of the morning, as both of them were still sleeping, allowing their bodies to get the maximum amount of energy needed for the day's upcoming events. The clock read 7:44, and neither Smasher looked content about waking up anytime soon.

The serenity of the room was shattered as soon as the clock read 7:45, as the sound of a siren _(A/N: Like the ones that used to blaze out during bombing raids in Europe during World War II)_ burst over the loudspeakers like the whole world was about to explode. The sound woke up the two Smashers immediately, but Marth wasn't as fortunate as Link was. Marth sprung up like a jolt of electricity had passed through him, and it caused him to hit his head on the roof for what had to be the third time that month.

"Ow! Dammit!" Marth exclaimed, holding his aching head with his hands as the siren dissipated. The impact caused Link's sword and shield to fall off the wall, not surprising at the least to him.

"You know, I really hate the fact that the roof on my side of the room is closer to the floor than on your side. My head hurts so much!" exclaimed Marth as he headed for the bathroom, still holding his head.

"Oh, stop complaining. You should have thought about that when you begged to be nearest to the door," said Link in an unconcerned tone while he picked up his weapons. His mind was still focused on the strange "dream" he had last night, and what it actually meant.

'_So why do I feel like I could take on the whole world? The only time I ever felt like this was when…'_

He turned over his left hand, just to allow himself to believe that he was hallucinating. What he didn't expect to find was a Triforce symbol, with the Courage triangle glowing a brilliant golden hue.

"OH MY GODDESSESS!" Link shouted, and heard shortly the sound of another bump on the ceiling coming from the shower.

"OW! FOR GOD'S SAKE!" erupted Marth's angry voice from the bathroom.

* * *

Zelda awoke with a jolt similar to Marth when the siren sounded over the loudspeaker, but she luckily didn't have the same problem. Samus; however, was unfazed by it, as she was already awake and fully dressed in her blue jumpsuit, doing pushups and situps on her side of the room. Zelda was actually surprised to see one of her best friends up so early.

"You're up early, Sam. You usually sleep until we're either called down or someone wakes you up."

"Yeah," the bounty hunter commented as she rose off the floor, heading towards her workbench, "but today's the start of the tournament, so I at least want to be _somewhat _warmed up if I'm going to fight today."

She then resumed making some last minute adjustments on her arm cannon, which she had detached from her new Fusion Suit, still the way it was after she defeated the Omega Metroid back on the B.S.L station. For some reason yesterday while she had been training, it had malfunctioned when she had tried to fire a Diffusion Missile. Then it wouldn't fire anything at all, so she spent the rest of the day reworking it. She only got it to fire regular Power Beam shots and normal missiles, which she had decided combined with the Charge Beam, was better than nothing.

Zelda headed straight for the small bathroom that all rooms had, and proceeded with her regular morning activities. She was interrupted by Samus' voice before she finished putting on her traditional Triforce symbol earrings.

"Hey Zel, have you seen my emergency pistol anywhere? I could've sworn I left it near my workbench."

"Try looking where you store your replacement parts. I think that's where I saw it last."

"Oh, ok here it is. Thanks!"

"No problem." Zelda commented as she finished getting ready for the day. All day yesterday she had been training hard like the rest of the Smashers, practicing her aim with her needles as Sheik, and also how to perfect teleportation with Farore's Wind. Link had told her that he would meet her at dinner so they could talk about what needed to be done, but for some reason he never showed up.

'_Goddesses, I hope he's all right. It's not like him to keep anyone waiting…'_

She pushed Link out of her mind as she stepped out of the bathroom, proceeding to gather her Sheik clothing for quick transformation, while Samus worked on reattaching her arm cannon to her Fusion suit.

* * *

"You never did tell me why you came back so late last night, Link," said Marth as he finished polishing his sword. "Zelda was looking for you, you know. She was so worried that you didn't show up. Guess I fell asleep at about 11 last night, and you still weren't back."

Link stayed silent as he finished polishing his own sword, trying to remember what exactly he did last night, but he couldn't seem to recall anything at all after Brinstar. Equally, he had no answer for why he had regained the Triforce of Courage, other than the "dream" that he had. He had told the story to Marth while they were polishing their swords, after apologizing to him for randomly yelling out. Marth just shook his head after he was done, saying that it was just a dream. Link didn't know what to believe anymore, since it had seemed so real to him.

"…and then I noticed that one of the window shutters was open last night, which explains why I was so cold…Link? Hey, you okay there buddy?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm okay. Just spaced out there for a minute…" said the Hylian as he twisted the cap back on the large jug of sword polish he and Marth shared.

The loudspeaker suddenly came to life:

'_Good morning all! Sorry for the rude awakening…'_

"Humph, sure you are…" muttered Marth under his breath.

'…_but as everyone knows, today is the start of the tournament! Would everyone please report to the cafeteria in about 15 minutes? There's a busy day ahead and a hungry Smasher is not a happy Smasher, right? I will also announce both the lineup of fighters for the first round, and exactly where each battle will take place. Also, we've got a fantastic turnout of rabid fans waiting for autographs and see their favorite Smashers in action! So, be sure to carry around a permanent marker or a pen with you at all times. That is all, good luck today everyone!'_

"Great, attacked even before we reach the arena," said Link dryly.

"Oh, cut it out! You know as well as I do that we have to be nice to the fans. Their money is what keeps everything running, right?"

Well, yeah, but…ok, you have a point there."

"Well then Link, guess we should get going," Marth said as he got up, sheathing his now-glimmering sword, "wouldn't want our girlfriends to worry about us, right?"

"You mean _your girlfriend_, right?

"Oh come on, Link. Everyone knows you like Zelda already."

"Yeah, so? We've been friends for a long time, so of course I like her!"

"That's not what I mean, and you know it too."

"Sure, whatever," Link replied as he got up from his bed, sheathing the glimmering Master Sword behind his back, as well as attaching his newly polished Hylian Shield to the back of his sheath, "let's just get something to eat, I'm starving."

Marth shook his head in disbelief as they walked out of the room, making sure to lock the door behind them.

'_Sometimes, that guy can be so dense…'_ thought Marth as they made their way down the hall.

* * *

"I just can't believe he didn't show up, Zelda…" said Samus as she finished cleaning her emergency pistol and holstering it in the holster attached to her hip.

Zelda remained silent as she finished coiling up the chain belonging to her Sheik costume, still unable to get her childhood friend out of her mind.

'_It's just not like him. He always has kept his promises to me in the past, so why wouldn't he come? I mean, he could have at least let me know that he was okay!'_

She shook her head as she finished preparing, stuffing her Sheik clothing inside a hidden spot in her dress, where she could later transform into Sheik at will.

"Sam, we should get going if we don't want to be late."

"Yeah, hang on a sec…this thing's not cooperating with me!" said a frustrated Samus as she kept trying to lock in her arm cannon. Apparently, it hadn't locked when she tried to reattach it to her Fusion Suit earlier.

"Zel, I could use a hand over here. I need just a little more elbow grease to make this work."

Zelda worked her way over and struggled with Samus to make it lock in place. It slowly started to turn clockwise to lock in place as the two pushed against it.

"Ok, I think we almost got it…" said Samus, gritting her teeth as she continued to push with Zelda.

"Hurry! We only have about ten minutes until we have to be down with everyone else!"

"I know, but I can't fight today with no arm cannon!"

The cannon kept slowly moving towards the lock, just mere millimeters from being securely fastened.

"Come on, you piece of crap! Lock already!"

Just as she said this, it finally snapped, locking the cannon in place. Both Samus and Zelda stood up, their hands covered in red marks.

"Huh," said Samus as she eyed the lock closer, tapping it with a nearby wrench, "I wonder what was making it so difficult to lock…"

She got her answer when oil squirted in her face, disappearing as quickly as it had come.

Her face and hair completely drenched, she slowly looked up at Zelda, who was killing herself laughing.

Samus stared at her, a frustrated expression on her face, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come when she saw her own reflection on her visor. She couldn't help but laugh along with her.

Both girls just laughed for about two minutes before Samus reached over and grabbed one of her rags and began to wipe the oil off of her face.

Zelda wiped the tears from her eyes and helped her clean up, still in disbelief at what had just happened.

Samus accepted the help without question, wondering what a moment like that would have been like two years ago:

'_Has it really only been four years since I arrived? It feels like I've become like a totally new person from who I was. When I first arrived here, I was the most serious and antisocial person you could ever meet; mostly because I never experienced working with other people in the field, or met anyone I could relate to while I was growing up. Hell, the closest thing I even had to a family was the Chozo. But when the mansion started recruiting new members, everything changed. First, Marth and Roy showed up at the mansion. During our first dinner with them, I sat by myself like usual, jotting down new entries in my journal, when all of a sudden, Marth randomly comes over and sits across from me, not even asking if he can. _

_He just stared at me, watching as I kept writing. I couldn't take it anymore; I just got so fed up! I snapped, "What is your problem? Ever seen a female wanting to be left ALONE before?" He seemed to wake up from his subconscious state, and a look of hurt washed upon his face. He started to get up, but for some reason, I grabbed his arm. He looked back with those eyes…those pretty, pure-looking eyes…and simply sat down again. I sat down as well and resumed writing, wondering just who this person was. We stayed like that, in complete silence for the rest of the night. _

_Later on the next day I met up with him and we talked, and I really started to like him. I mean, we got along so well with each other. I started to realize I had feelings for him, and I still have them. But I've never been able to admit them, and probably won't. But still, maybe one day…ah, who am I kidding? I'm a bounty hunter; one of the most feared in my galaxy! Well, that doesn't mean much anymore since 80 of the entire Federation is looking for me. It's times like these I'm glad I have friends, like Zelda.'_

Zelda, finished with removing the oil from Samus' hair, got up and went to wash her hands quickly in the bathroom, while Samus closed the locker door that contained her suit. While making sure the password was correct on the keypad lock, she looked over her shoulder at the bathroom door; so many memories coming back to her.

'_Guess my life also changed for the better when her and Link showed up at the mansion. Master Hand told us that they were from a land called Hyrule, and that it wasn't too far from here. He also told us that they had fled after it had flooded. I also remembered being told that the girl was going to be rooming with me. I was so mad at this fact, as I've always been alone most of my life. Other than having Adam Malcovich as my CO on one of my missions, I've always worked best by myself. It wasn't anything personal against new people, just the fact that I could lose anyone I'm close to at anytime in my field of work, or have that attachment used against me. Like the way I lost Adam, and how I lost my parents on Colony K2L. But eventually, Zel's good nature and spirit caused me to be more open. She became like a sister to me, someone I could rely on no matter what and could share things with. I still think of her the same way to this day.'_

She paused for a moment and smiled as she reflected on how her life was now, and how much better her life was now compared to when she had first arrived.

"Come on, Sam! We're gonna be late if we don't go now!" said Zelda as she opened the door, putting on her white gloves as she left.

Samus, snapping out of her thoughts, looked at her digital watch, which read 7:10.

"Crap, we've only got five minutes!"

"Yeah, no kidding! That's what I just said!"

"Ah, sorry. Been thinking too much. Anyways, let's go before we get in serious trouble!"

Samus turned off the room lamp and closed the door, the rays coming from the still-closed shades the only source of light in the darkened room.

**Sorry if this chapter seemed boring, but I wanted to explain some background and character things before I kicked off the whole tournament thing. I hope this chapter clears up why Samus is acting out of character, and why she isn't quiet or antisocial like she's usually portrayed in other fanfics. I also thought it'd be nice to "cool down" before the start of Tournament III, as the last two chapters were pretty powerful. I'm currently working on the next chapter, and am hoping to get it up before Mid-Terms (NOOOOO!). If I don't update, you'll know why, as my Mid-Terms are only two weeks away. By the way, if anyone wants to make any requests as to who should fight who during the tournament (I'm still figuring out how I'm gonna make this work), I'm open to all requests. Also, if anyone has any suggestions as to how to set it up, I'm also open to them as well. Well, that's about it for now. Expect the next chapter sometime this month (I'm aiming for this coming weekend before I have to start studying for Mid-Terms), so check out my profile for progress updates. Bye for now, and, as always, please review!**


	15. Chapter 15: A New Smasher

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**anime/videogame freak: **No, honestly I didn't know what you were going to say! (laughter)

**Royal Kenya: **Thanks, I appreciate it. Glad you liked the chapter too! Oh, and in response to your review of Chapter 11, yeah I liked the idea of having Marth call Samus "Sammy". I thought it might represent how deep their relationship with each other is. Oh, and you're not alone: I've never had a girlfriend, so I can relate.

**OperationJonny: **You're just about right. This chapter isn't exactly badass, but I guarantee the next one will be. And thanks for understanding the "uneventful chapter" thing.

**Elfbrat18: **Glad you like how I described Samus. Yeah, she just doesn't want to get hurt again, emotionally. I came to that conclusion once I read some background information on her and when I played Metroid Fusion.

**Babykoalaprincess: **…wow! Yeah, I also have band first period, so it's hard for me to get up too. But hey, glad you like my story! I feel honored! But anyways, yeah I can relate to how annoying it is to read a story when the author doesn't know hardly anything about the series being written about! And don't worry, as I've said before, I'll get Link and Zelda together eventually. Just give me some time……

**mew katt the sith lord: **Glad you liked the comments. And yeah, Mid-Terms are Barney-evil……….be very afraid once you go in to high school.

**pinkythesnowman:** Very disturbing………(laughter). Glad someone liked Marth's "routine" in the morning. I kind of based that off of my own experiences, since I have the most annoying alarm clock in the world! Thanks for the tourney suggestion, I might use that later on in it. And yes, I agree with you: Mid-Terms are the bane of any high-school student's existence!

**RoyalFanatic: **I'm so jealous! You're graduating, and I still have two more years of school to go. NOOOOO! But oh well, at least I have more time to write stories on this site. Sorry you're not a big fan of Samus, but I am! She kicks ass most of the time! But yeah, I kept the system simple, and I'm going to have random pairings later on in the story.

**KuroNeko1492: **Yeah, I agree: Link and Ganondorf have to face off sometime in the story! Love the suggestions, keep them coming!

**WOW, so many reviews! As always guys, thanks a lot! I'm glad you all understand how hard Mid-Terms are, but for now until June, I got more time to get chapters up! Again, thanks for the reviews, you guys rock so hard!**

**NOTES: I'm so happy for a number of reasons! First of all, my Mid-Terms are finally over! Yay! The other reason I'm happy is because of the strong responses you guys gave me after last chapter! I honestly didn't think that it was that interesting, but guess you guys proved me wrong. Thanks guys, and shame on myself for ever doubting my own story! (laughter) Anyways, you guessed it: the tournament starts this chapter! This also means that it's going to be a long one, but that's only because there are lots of details contained here that set up the whole tournament! I also warn you guys that it is, again, a slow chapter like the last one. I would have written more, but I wanted to get this chapter up today and get started on the next one, which I promise will have more action in. Oh, and I also got to thank the people who gave me suggestions for how to set this up. I've given it a lot of thought while taking each and every suggestion you guys have given me in to consideration, and I've come up with a system that I think will satisfy everyone in the end! (At least, I hope it will...). Oh, I almost forget to tell you guys why I wanted to update on this day. Well, it's because it's my 16th birthday today! Cheers for me, I guess! (laughter) Well, I've got nothing else to tell you guys, except go ahead now and read the chapter, my birthday present to you guys!**

**DISCLAIMER: Once again (sigh), I don't own Super Smash Bros. Melee, Star Fox: Assault, Metroid Fusion, or The Legend of Zelda. All of these franchises belong to Nintendo; SSBM also belongs to HAL Laboratories and Star Fox: Assault also belongs to Namco. Why does Nintendo keep threatening to sue me? I mean, I always give them proper credit. What more do they want from me, blood? Wouldn't surprise me one bit if they did. (laughter)**

**Chapter 15: A New Smasher**

The dining hall was unusually decorated in a festive atmosphere; different colored streamers covered the walls, along with many posters promoting the "Third Annual Super Smash Brothers Tournament", or Tournament III as it was known to the Smashers.

About half of the Smashers were assembled in that room, downing the many breakfast items that were waiting for them. The kitchen served all sorts of dishes, always at least one was to each Smasher's liking. If they didn't care for what was being served, they could also occasionally go into the town nearby for food at one of the many restaurants.

As soon as they walked in the room, Marth and Link scanned around for an empty table, or for any of their friends. As they walked around all the other Smasher's tables, all talking and discussing things in their own groups, they stumbled upon Roy and Peach, the only ones at a table near the back. The two swordsmen took up seats across from the pair, taking the plates that lay waiting in front of them and started filling them up with food. After their plates were filled, they started to eat and talk.

"So Link, where were you last night? I couldn't find you anywhere at all!" asked Roy intently.

"To tell you the truth, I have honestly no idea."

"Oh come on, not another hangover! You know what alcohol can do to you once you've had too many…"

"No, it's not like that! Last I remembered, I was training on Brinstar, trying to excel in handling the Master Sword in combat, and everything else becomes dark after that. Well, except this dream I had…"

Link then went in to a description of his "dream": How he and Mewtwo had gone to Hyrule Castle while it was underwater, how they had both been attacked by the zombie-like things created by Ganondorf, how he had fought the look-alike of Nemesis, and most importantly, how he had regained the Triforce of Courage. Roy and Peach listened without question, very interested in this supposed "dream". Marth, having already heard this story, continued to eat his breakfast while observing Kirby and Yoshi fight over the food at their table with Mario and Luigi watched them with disgust.

Roy was the first to speak after he had finished his tale.

"Hmm, strange. Hardly any of it seems to make sense. Mostly because I don't see Mewtwo the type of guy that would help out anyone, let alone you."

Peach nodded her head in agreement, looking as though she was still trying to absorb what she had just heard.

"But guys, this isn't the only thing that's weird. Look at this!"

With those words, he held up his gloved hand, the Triforce marking shimmering with a familiar golden hue; and the Courage triangle was shining the brightest.

Both Roy and Peach were speechless; they just couldn't believe what they were seeing, especially after what Link had described in his dream. Again, Roy was the first to speak.

"Well, this could mean two things: either the supposed 'dream' you had was in fact, real. Or that somehow, your training allowed you to repossess it. Both sound completely absurd, but again anything's possible."

Marth suddenly stopped stuffing his face, and joined in the conversation.

"What's it matter how he got it? He has it now, so he should be at least a _challenge _in this tournament, right?"

Link looked down at his untouched plate of scrambled Cuckoo eggs, unsure what to believe anymore.

'_Am I going insane? Or, was that "dream", not really a dream? It seemed pretty real to me; hell, I almost believed it really happened when I woke up. Ah, best not to dwell on it. Like Marth said, at least now I'll be able to stand at least some chance in the competition. Wonder what Zelda will think when she hears about this?'_

Link was abruptly interrupted from his thoughts from the obnoxiously loud voice of Peach.

"HEY ZEL, SAMMY! OVER HERE!" shouted Peach over the even louder noise of the crowds while flailing her arms in the air. Unknown to her, Marth gripped his knuckles at the use of Samus' name.

'_I'm the only one who calls her that! No one calls her that but me!'_

But he cooled down as they approached, not wanting to look like he was about to commit murder.

Samus and Zelda, hearing Peach's screaming (_'For a little princess, she certainly has a loud voice'_ thought Samus), made their way through the many tables over to the foursome.

"Hey Zel" whispered Samus as they continued making their way to their table, "guess your so called 'Hero of Time' is okay after all."

Zelda just nodded, anxious for his explanation.

'_He'd better have a good excuse, or else he's in for a real surprise…' _

* * *

When they finished making their way towards their friends, Zelda grabbed a seat beside Link while Marth scooted downwards to make way for Samus. Zelda began her interrogation right away.

"Link, I can't believe you! Where in the name of Farore did you go? You said you would meet me right after dinner, and you never showed up! I demand an explanation!" yelled Zelda. Samus tried to muffle her laughter at the look on Link's face.

He gained a shocked expression, an anime tear drop forming next to his head. Despite all they had been through, he still wasn't used to hearing Zelda's "angry voice".

'_Goddesses, I forgot what her bad side's like…' _

"Hey, don't start getting on his case, princess! He has an explanation, and I'm sure you'll be very interested to hear it," said Marth, backing up Link.

With that, Link went in to the same story he had told Roy and Peach. After he was finished, he also showed the Triforce of Courage symbol on his left fist. Zelda was shocked beyond belief.

"Link, this may be the chance we need to win the tournament!" Zelda exclaimed happily, and embraced Link in a hug. He was caught completely off guard, and his face turned a bright red. Both Marth and Roy tried to tell Link to also wrap his arms around her via hand motions, while both Samus and Peach tried their hardest not to laugh outloud. He managed to follow Roy and Marth's advice to their relief, before she let go of him.

"Great, now that that's out of the way, what about the tournament? You guys heard anything about how this is working?" asked Roy.

"Nope, not a thing. They're keeping pretty tight security on everything, from what I heard," said Samus.

"By the way Sam, what happened to your gorgeous hair?" asked Peach, pointing to the black smudges dotting her blond hair.

Both Zelda and Samus started giggling, remembering what had happened to Samus in their room half an hour ago.

"Fine, whatever. Obviously it's not for my ears!" pouted Peach.

Before anyone could get another word out, the room suddenly darkened. Then, two spotlights activated, pointing their bright beams at the stage at which Master Hand stood, or rather…floated.

"Hello, my Smashers! Now that you've all eaten, it's time to announce what's going to happen in Tournament III!"

Everyone in the room applauded, more out of politeness than enthusiasm.

"Now, as I'm sure you've all been wondering, I will announce how exactly this tournament will function."

With that, a hidden High-Definition widescreen TV appeared behind him, dropping in from a small enclosure in the ceiling.

"Hey, why don't we have a big TV like that in the lounge?" complained Falco, whom everyone ignored.

"Okay, now here's how things are going to work," said Master Hand as the TV turned on automatically, revealing a tournament board with all the Smasher's faces on them.

"We aren't going to go by the traditional tournament "ladder" system like last time in the Melee tournament. Instead, this is how it's going to work: each Smasher will be thrust in to random one on one battles with other Smashers. In order to move in to the final round, you need to gather as many wins as possible. All match rules will be different, so don't expect the same conditions every match. The top 12 Smashers with the most wins will move on to the final round, which I will explain when we arrive there in the next two weeks. So for now, concentrate on accumulating as many wins as possible!"

He paused for applause from the audience, which was slightly more enthusiastic this time. Then, the TV switched channels and showed what had to be thousands, no _millions_ of screaming fans outside the Smash Mansion and around the town, all waiting for the same thing: the start of the tournament. They were holding up many signs and wearing shirts, each identifying who they were cheering for. Zelda saw Link blush badly as the camera swept past a mass of screaming fangirls, all wearing shirts with Link's face on them and holding up a green sign decorated with pink hearts, saying "WE HEART YOU LINK! YOU'RE SO HOTT!".

"Ah…as you can see, our fans are enthusiastic to meet their favorites! Remember though, our fans are our funds, so BE NICE TO THEM! Stop to sign as many autographs as possible, talk to them, shake their hands, do whatever you can to please your fans! OR ELSE CERTAIN PRIVELIGES MAY BE REVOKED!"

All of the Smashers started murmuring, each wondering the same thing: Why the hell is Master Hand being such an ass?

He silenced them quickly with a wave of his hand.

"Ah, I apologize to you all. I'm just a tad nervous, that's all. But anyways, moving on. You're all probably wondering where exactly the fighting will take place. That's obviously the next part of the presentation."

Master Hand waved his hand again, and the T.V. once again switched channels. It was a list of all the current arenas that were available in the simulator.

"As you can see, some arenas are, indeed, available in real life. As it is, last time we exclusively used the simulators only and had the fans watch from inside the nearby stadium. That old routine is, as you might guess, going to change slightly. First off, we will indeed be using the simulator for fights like last time, but not all fights are going to be staged there. Only certain arenas that either don't exist or no longer exist such as Brinstar and Hyrule…"

Link and Zelda frowned at the mention of their homeland, their fingers interlocking with one another for support.

'_Hopefully by the end of this, it won't be on that list…' _thought Link mentally.

"…will be featured at the stadium. That means that Smashers scheduled to fight in those arenas will be allowed to stay in the Mansion. But, as for the arenas that actually exist, they will be used as well."

The T.V. changed channels at the wave of Master Hand's…well…hand, into another list, but with a different title.

"Now, these are the available arenas that are available to fight in. So, in short, if you have a match scheduled to take place in one of these arenas, then you yourself must obviously travel there, unless it is not accessible due to weather conditions. If that is the case, then the match will be diverted to the stadium. Now, all of you may use any method to get to your destination, and may also travel with other Smashers. Sabotaging each other however, is not allowed. As is fighting outside the arena against other Smashers. And trust me: I'll know if any of you break these two rules. Well, that's all of the details."

The T.V. switched off and rose back up to whence it came.

"I almost forgot everyone! We have a new Smasher that will take part in the tournament! He's still adjusting to life around here, so try to at least make an effort to introduce yourselves to him. Ah, here he is!"

With that, a man with flaming red hair stepped out of the shadows next to Master Hand, taking a low bow to the floor, grinning as he did so. Some people received a bad feeling about this man, while others with slightly different morals cheered and clapped, such as Bowser for example.

"This man is known as Ganondorf Dragmire. He is apparently, from the land of Hyrule, like our own Zelda and Link!"

Ganondorf finished his bow and went back to the shadows, still grinning as he dwelled in his devious thoughts.

* * *

The enormous lounge room of both Master and Crazy Hand, which had once been only occupied by some furniture and a T.V, was now filled with things related to the tournament, from bills containing the costs that will come from using electricity to advertising company letters of acknowledgement. But one space in the room was reserved exclusively for matchmaking. Unusually, as Master Hand came in the room, he kept it dark, not turning on the light. He floated towards the matchmaking area, dwelling on who should fight who, and where.

"That went rather well, sir." a mysterious figure said from the shadows.

"Yes, it did. Have you any thoughts of who should fight who?"

"A few. All of them seem very capable of winning."

"Yes, they do. But we both know who the real victors are once this is over, right?"

"Yes. But as for who should fight who. I suggest not having the strongest fight against the strongest at first, so the fans will be appeased later on in the tournament. That way profits will be higher."

"I agree, it will also distract the Smashers and the fans away from our plans. But, also, there is a high level of excitement that radiates from the crowds when two major players face off against each other."

"Then why don't you have two of the strongest fighters face off in the first round, and have the other matches that day set up as strong against weak? It could generate good ratings for you."

"Yes, but which two is the question."

"The answer is obvious, isn't it? Which two Smashers came first and second last tournament, respectively, as you told me?"

"Ah yes, Mario and Link. Both show great promise as fighters, and also as profit-generators. It might be good if we have them face off against each other. It can be a kind of 'continuation' of their last battle."

"Yes, it shall."

"Good, I'll decide the rest of the matches later on tonight. I appreciate your help and loyalty, Ganondorf."

Ganondorf stepped forth from the shadows, his evil eyes glowing in the darkness.

"My only wish is to take revenge on the two who sealed me away for so long."

"Only one thing: make sure none of the Smashers suspect anything. If they do, well…I'll leave matters to your ever-capable hands."

"Many of my servants have been resurrected and are ready to do my bidding, so leave the dirty work to me."

"I will. You may leave now."

"Yes, my lord. As you wish."

Ganondorf took another polite bow as he left the darkened room, anxious to carry out his own plans.

**So, what is really going on in this story? Why would Ganondorf help Master Hand? What are they both really up to? Why am I making up so many questions? Don't worry, answers will come in time. I just love stories that keep you guessing and wanting more. But anyways, expect next chapter sometime in the next week and a half. I'll give you guys an estimation in my profile when the time comes. Well, expect action in the next chapter, as the first match should start next chapter. Hope you liked the chapter, and please review!**


	16. Ch 16: WARNING! Beware of Rabid Fangirls

**REVIEW RESPONSES: I've already mentioned this to all reviewers who reviewed last chapter, but for those who don't know, I should definitely announce this: Due to the threat of this story becoming removed from this site (which I found out from a reliable source), I must use the reply button in the reviews part of my story to respond to reviews now. Gasp! So, no longer will responses to reviews be posted here. They will come to each reviewer individually via the message system on Fan This presents some advantages and disadvantages (mainly for me, because I'm still getting used to responding this way), but it's for all the best. Thanks everyone for your understanding!**

**NOTES: I feel the need to apologize for the fact that I said the first battle would start next chapter, but it would have been too much to fit in, and I honestly didn't want to try it. Also, I know I haven't updated in awhile, but I've had a good reason: I've been sick with a extremely bad case of the flu all last week, and I had to finish up school. But now I'm on vacation, and I finally have some time to update! My thanks like always to my reviewers, whose reviews have kept haunting me this past week. Just a warning: EXTREMELY LONG CHAPTER AHEAD! Read only if you have the time. Now, let's get started shall we?**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Super Smash Brothers Melee, Star Fox: Assault, Metroid Fusion, or The Legend of Zelda series. These franchises belong to Nintendo, SSBM belongs to HAL Laboratories, and Star Fox: Assault belongs to Namco. Oh, and guess I should also say that I don't own anything that has to do with the world of Mario. Obviously, that belongs to Nintendo as well. I'm telling you, that corporation is preparing for a large-scale assault on the world to take it over! Why don't you believe me?**

**Chapter 16: WARNING! Beware of Rabid Fangirls!**

Mario, the proclaimed hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, stood in a secluded room, surrounded by a circle of red punching bags, all marked with his trademark "M". He was dressed in a white T-shirt, with his usual blue overalls and red "M" hat on. He was tired and sweaty, but wasn't ready to quit his training. He had been close to perfecting his "Mario Tornado" attack, yet he knew there was still something missing.

Right before he started to perform his attack again however, he heard the door open and a certain green-clad mustached figure walked in.

"Hey Mario," he said, "Your next opponent's been announced over the loudspeaker."

"Yeah, I missed the announcements. Who am I fighting?"

"Link, of the former land of Hyrule. Both of you are fighting in the Holo-Stadium on the stage Fourside in Eagleland. Seems Master Hand thought it better for everyone if your match was just fought in the Holo-Stadium, since Eagleland isn't having particularly good weather right now."

"Hmm, he's an excellent opponent. Perfect person to fight against in a first match."

"Yeah, true. But bro, what are ya doin' in here? Shouldn't you be getting over to the stadium?"

"I'll leave in ten minutes."

"Yeah, but bro, Peach and I were…"

"I said in ten minutes, dammit!"

Luigi became speechless. Never in all his years had he seen Mario this uptight, nor this angry. It scared him to see his big brother like this, but he decided to just let him be, so he left without another word.

Mario continued to train, not once looking up as his brother left. He thought of nothing else other than winning his first match.

'_Then I can win her back from that, scumbag, by proving I'm more powerful than he'll ever hope to be…'_

* * *

"Link, you sure you got the second room key, cause I'm taking the spare!" called Marth as he hoisted his travel bag over his shoulder.

His first match was going to take place in Jungle Japes against Donkey Kong, so he had packed all of his camping gear since there weren't any hotels on DK Isle. DK himself had offered rooming at his house, but Marth had declined. He also had decided to travel by horseback, despite Samus' offer to fly him there en route to her match on the planet Pop Star, where she was to fight Kirby in the capital of Dream Land.

Marth wasn't one to accept favors often, no matter who the person was. Now that he thought about it, it was probably due to his training as a soldier, and his lone wolf nature when traveling alone. (_A/N: I don't know that for sure, since I haven't played any of the Fire Emblem games. If anyone has any suggestions on how they think Marth or Roy should be acting, let me know in a review. I'm open to suggestions, like I said earlier.)_

"Yeah, I got it right here. See you in two days, okay?" Link called from the bathroom.

"Yup, just make sure no one breaks into our room."

"Okay, good luck!"

"Thanks, bye!"

With that, he walked out of the room towards the stables, where all the Smasher's animals were kept.

Link came out of the bathroom, clad in his red Goron Tunic with his chain-mail on underneath it and his white sweats. He then put on his matching hat, covering his semi-short, messy blonde hair. His belt and harness was also attached to him, the blue and golden colored sheath attached to the back of his harness. He was still having trouble getting one buckle to go through on his Kokiri boots, however.

His match was scheduled to take place today in the Holo-Stadium against Mario, which he had overheard on the loudspeakers.

'_Hmm, odd matchup, since in the Melee tournament, we were both in the finals…'_

**

* * *

**

**FLASHBACK**

'_Ow, ow, ow! That's hot!'_ thought Link as he was clipped by one of Mario's fireballs. There was only one more minute in the finals, and Mario was up by one KO. Unfortunately for Link, Final Destination wasn't his best stage, yet he still managed to get in at least three knockouts, even though Mario still was beating him by four knockouts.

'_Let's try a different strategy…'_

He took out his bow, took out three arrows, and shot them off where Mario would be in a second. Like he predicted, Mario jumped up to avoid the flying arrows before Link had even shot them off, but he instead was hit by all three. This gave Link the opening he needed to get in close. He started to perform a running slash, catching Mario while he was still recovering from the arrow attack. This sent him flying upwards, his damage indicator rising to 280 percent. Link watched him fly off in to the distance, glad both of them were at least even now.

"30 seconds left on the clock!" said the announcer as Mario respawned on the stage, cursing himself for the way he reacted.

'_That's it; no more games!' _

All of a sudden, a crate with the Smash Bros. logo spontaneously appeared next to his location. Thinking quickly, he punched it open. A beam sword, shell, and a piece of food appeared out of the crate. Link saw this, and started running towards the other side of the stage.

Mario took the shell and threw it at Link, which he nimbly dodged with ease. After eating the piece of food, he grabbed the beam sword, and ignited its purple blade. Just as Link reached him, he swung with a purple flash, igniting sparks that rose from the two blades. The crowd went crazy as a series of sword strikes followed, each Smasher parrying the other's attacks. After about twenty seconds, Link managed to knock the beam sword out of Mario's hand, giving him a perfect opening at Mario's exposed knees.

Link went for it, but Mario managed to barely dodge the attack. Link stumbled as a result of missing his target, giving Mario an opportunity for a Smash Attack from Link's exposed backside. He went flying off the stage, disbelieving that he'd actually lost to the red-clad plumber. The words "Game!" echoed in his head, disclosing the fact that Mario was the Melee tournament champion.

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

'_Well, he won't beat me this time. Unlike last time, I'm fighting for more than just myself.' _thought Link as he finally fixed his right boot. He then proceeded to grab his Hylian Shield and the Master Sword, sheathing the sacred blade in its respectable sheath and attaching his shield to it as well. Making sure he had his boomerang, bombs, and bow and arrows equipped, he walked out of his and Marth's room, locking the door behind him, and started heading towards Zelda and Samus' room. He and Zelda had planned to ride over to the Holo-Stadium on horseback with Roy.

'_Awh crap, I'm late! Roy's gonna break my kneecaps…' _he thought as he glanced at a nearby clock, quickening his pace.

* * *

"Hey Zel, Roy, I'll see you guys in two days, okay?" said Samus as she started towards the Docking Bays, fully outfitted in her new Fusion Suit.

"Okay, good luck, Sam!" said Zelda, waving to her friend.

"Make sure you win!" said Roy.

"I'll be sure to fry that pink puffball, don't worry," said Samus, almost to herself as she walked down the hallway, putting on her helmet.

Zelda didn't even notice Link come up behind her.

"Hey Zel, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, just seeing Sam off, that's all," said Zelda, spinning around to face Link.

"I've been ready for at least an hour now. I've just been waiting for you two…" said a disgruntled Roy as he walked up behind them, dressed in his traditional blue and white clothing and armor.

"Relax Roy; my match isn't for at least another hour, and your match against Luigi isn't until after ours. Look, I know I'm late, but keep your sword sheathed, for Goddesses' sakes!" said Link to his wise friend.

"Well, if you don't want to avoid being mobbed by fans, that's fine with me. But if I had known you two would be _this_ late, I would have just given up and left!"

"Roy, shut up." said an unconcerned Link as he started heading towards the stables, Zelda following closely behind him.

"Hey, don't blame me when we're attacked by rabid fans!" yelled Roy, running after them.

'_Man, he really knows how to get under my skin!'_ thought Roy as he chased after his two friends.

* * *

The stables smelled of the usual fresh hay and grains as the three Smashers entered it, glancing at all the many animals that were contained in its stables. However, Link was looking for a particular stable, which he found almost straight away.

"There you are old girl!" said Link happily as he arrived at Epona's stable. She whinnied in happiness as she saw her old friend again, who opened the stall for her while giving her a carrot as she walked out. Zelda was also glad to see her, as this was the animal that had kept them alive in their flight from Hyrule. Link patted her head as she came to a stop, waiting for her two riders to hop on. He climbed up on the aged Hylian saddle, grabbing the reins, and then lifted Zelda on to his beloved steed.

'_Boy, it's been forever since I've ridden Epona. But now that I think about it, she's the only thing that still links me to Hyrule. I still hope Malon got out safely…'_ thought Link, reliving fond memories of the only girl who ever called him "Fairy Boy".

'_Navi_…' he thought sadly, as he never did find his lost companion.

"Link, you done daydreaming yet?" asked Roy as he rode towards them with his own steed. Zelda shook him a little bit, bringing him out of his thoughts. He looked deep into her blue eyes, and couldn't focus on anything else at the moment.

'_She's so beautiful, more beautiful than all the Goddesses combined…'_

"Are you two done yet? LET'S GO!" yelled Roy as he sped out the main gate, the hooves of his horse picking up dirt as it rode out.

The two Hylians sighed as they followed, causing a ruckus from the other animals still trapped in their stables. When it came to Roy, patience was not his strongest virtue.

* * *

The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky above them as the three Smashers galloped through the wide open fields in front of the mansion on their horses. However, the silence was interrupted as they saw a familiar purple spacecraft blast its way out of the underground Docking Bay. It disappeared as quickly as it had come as it entered the atmosphere. All three were used to this, as ships blasted out and arrived in the Docking Bay almost every day. They continued riding in silence, looking towards the town they were about to pass through, known "unofficially" as Smasher Town.

Originally, the town was always called by its real name of Sapphire, but ever since the corporate takeover of the town and land by the two Hands brothers and their organization Smash Bros. Inc., it mainly has been called by its unofficial name. The town was once quite prosperous, filled with restaurants, inns, bakeries, butcher shops, a main marketplace where fresh fruit and vegetables were sold, and other places. Due to the surrounding kingdoms, it was a popular town by adventurers and journeymen alike, who stopped for supplies and rest frequently. Master Hand thought the town would be the perfect accessory for his "Smash Mansion" he was about to build, so he bought the rights to the town and surrounding land, and built his huge mansion. The town became even bigger as the tournaments started, but since then, the town lost its hometown feeling due to frequent tourism. This fact saddened the two Hylians as they rode slowly through the streets of Sapphire Town, watching its occupants go about their daily activities.

At first, people went about their business without any notice of who the three riders were, demonstrating how used to travelers they were and the frequent times the Smashers visited the town. But, just as they were about three quarters through the town, someone finally noticed them. The man was only a curious tourist, who just happened to be walking out of a nearby bakery.

"Hey, aren't you Link? Wait, you're Zelda right? Hey, I know you, you're Roy! What are you three doing here?"

A quick series of events followed, for somehow word got around in less than three seconds of the three Smasher's presence. Many heads of rabid fangirls stuck their heads out of some souvenir shops, screaming with delight as they saw the two handsome swordsmen.

"OH MY GOD, IT'S LINK AND ROY!" screamed the fangirls, all pulling out posters and autograph books.

"THEY'RE SO HOTT!"

"I KNOW, I JUST LOVE THEIR HAIR!"

"QUICK, LET'S GET AN AUTOGRAPH!

"I think we should be going, don't you think?" hissed Zelda in Link's right ear, who had gained an anime sweat drop on his face.

"I agree, let's get the hell out of here!" yelled Roy as he snapped the reins of his steed, urging her to go at breakneck speed. Link did the same with Epona, who dashed off against the wind.

Not to be outdone, a huge mob of fangirls, all wanting autographs and various other disturbing things not to be discussed openly, took off after them, yelling random things at the retreating figures. The sea of fangirls seemed to grow as they passed shop after shop, more quickly joining the hunt after finding out what all the noise was about. Link looked back worriedly for a moment as the crowd seemed to be gaining on them. Roy interrupted his thoughts, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Link, remember when Master Hand said we should always nice to the fans!" yelled Roy over the growing noise of the fangirls.

"Yeah?" responded Link in a loud voice.

"Well, I say screw what he said. I don't think he'd want us risking our lives!" yelled Roy.

"Maybe this will convince them to stop!" yelled Zelda holding up a needle, as she turned in to Sheik in a flash of pink smoke.

Grabbing some needles out of her clothing, she started throwing them at the feet of the young females. They seemed to stop for a moment as the sharp shards of metal hit the ground in front of them, but they resumed after the attack ended, yelling inaudible things as they gained even more speed. Some even went so far as to start throwing things of their own at them.

"YOU DIRTY WITCH!"

"LINK DESERVES BETTER!" yelled an angry fangirl, who shifted her aim towards Zelda.

"Um Zel, I think you just made them even more angry!" yelled Link in front of her, ducking from the books and other things that were being thrown at them.

"Really, I didn't notice!" yelled Sheik over the noise as she changed back in to Zelda.

"Guys, we're almost there!" yelled Roy, avoiding projectiles thrown by the now-maddened fangirls.

He was right, as the size of the globular Holo-Stadium was growing before their eyes. They could barely make out the pairs of stone stairways that led into the entrance of the stadium.

"C'mon old girl, faster!" Link told his faithful horse, who seemed to gain speed as she realized sanctuary was in sight. Zelda's grip tightened on his waist as both horses gained speed, their sights set on reaching the entrance.

Before they knew it, in a few seconds both horses had jumped the stairs and were in front of the main entrance. The two swordsmen hopped off their horses, both using a key to open the front door.

Since matches were frequently held at the Holo-Stadium, each Smasher was given a key to the main entrance. Using this, they could arrive early before a match to train, or verse another Smasher on one of the stages. Since the installation of the Hologram Transporters in the Smash Mansion however, the Holo-Stadium was hardly used for practice anymore, just matches.

Once they opened a pair of doors they hastily led their horses inside, barely managing to close and lock them as the mass of fangirls reached the entrance. They banged on the huge glass panels on the doors, begging to be let in. Half of the original crowd left, knowing it was hopeless. Others, more desperate than their weaker counterparts, continued banging on the glass.

"Thank Naryu for these keys," said Link as he helped Zelda off of Epona.

"Yeah, and that glass is reinforced _and_ bulletproof!" said a relieved Roy, nodding towards the many fangirls banging on the glass.

"Really? I didn't know that," said Link in a curious voice.

"Let's just get to the training room, where we can find some privacy," said Zelda, brushing herself off.

The determined fangirls persisted to bang on the glass, desperate for at least one autograph. Yells and screams emanated from all of them, now synchronized in their attempts to break the glass.

"Don't they realize the glass is reinforced?" said Link, watching curiously as a pair of girls lamely tried to coax him into unlocking the door.

"Obviously they don't learn very fast," said an unconcerned Roy, making sure he had all of his equipment off of his horse.

"I don't know guys, maybe we should start getting away from the windows…" said Zelda in a concerned tone. She'd noticed, unlike the guys, that the glass had begun to crack in some places.

"Ah don't worry Zel, didn't you hear what Roy said?" asked Link as he patted Epona, who galloped towards the back of the stadium, where the stables were kept.

"Roy's confidence is what scares me the most," Zelda replied.

All of a sudden, the glass that had provided protection for its occupants shattered to the ground, allowing frantic fangirls access to the besieged building.

Roy's horse took off after Epona, both of them galloping at a fast pace towards the entrance of the stables, leaving behind their doomed riders. Before anyone could reach her, Zelda had cast Farore's Wind, teleporting her to the top of the main staircase.

'_Yes, all the training paid off!_' thought Zelda happily.

Link, thinking quickly, took out the Ocarina of Time and played the Song of Soaring, despite the absence of an owl statue. Knowing the song wasn't fully mastered yet, Zelda taught him how to teleport without any statues while playing it shortly after they had arrived at Smash Mansion.

He appeared right next to Zelda in a brilliant flash of white light, both of them now on top of the main staircase.

"Never did thank you for teaching me that…" muttered Link as he finished teleporting.

"Hey guys, what about me?" yelled Roy as he started climbing the stairs. Someone grabbed his cape as he reached the second step, causing him to trip and be mauled by the mass of fangirls. He tried to stay calm, quickly getting up and signing a few autographs with a pen. It worked until he suddenly got tackled by a desperate fangirl, while the rest started closing in on the struggling Altean.

"Want to go help him now?" asked Link, slightly amused by the scene below them.

"Well…I guess. After all, Peach would kill me if I just left him for dead, even if he is being a jerk," said Zelda, as she teleported with Farore's Wind again. She appeared for a moment, grabbing Roy's outstretched hand underneath the fangirls. Without even a sound, she disappeared again, reappearing next to Link with Roy next to her.

"Okay, there's the perfect example of why I like to _leave_ _early_!" yelled Roy as he stamped off down the hallway, Link and Zelda laughing behind him as they followed.

The remaining fangirls started leaving in defeat, while a select few were jumping for joy, as Roy had signed their autograph books.

* * *

'_Are you sure you don't know what's wrong with him?_' asked Link telepathically as the threesome made their way towards the training room.

'_Nope, he was fine this morning. Well, he did get turned down by Peach to come with us…you think that had something to do with it?'_ asked Zelda telepathically.

'_I don't know, but I got a feeling we're gonna find out soon enough,' _responded Link as they saw the training room door come into sight, along with three familiar figures.

"Mario, what's the rush? We're already here!" complained Peach as she struggled with Luigi to keep up with the red-clad plumber, both of them weighed down by his heavy gear. Despite Roy's pleas for her to come with him, Peach decided to arrive at the stadium with her two heroes. They arrived at the other end of the stadium, at Mario's request. He had been quiet all throughout the drive there (they had borrowed Captain Falcon's number 07 F-Zero machine Blue Falcon, who had taken off in the Falcon Flyer earlier heading to Yoshi's Island where his first match against Pikachu was to be fought), and still remained so as they walked down the empty hallway.

Peach looked worriedly at her savior of so many occasions, wondering why he was acting like this. Luigi looked just as concerned, and had consulted with Peach about it earlier before they had left. Mario continued to say he was fine, but his attitude told his two friends otherwise. Even Yoshi was worried about his friend's attitude, but unfortunately he had a match in the Mushroom Kingdom against Ness, so he couldn't stay to help.

"Hey Mario, what's up?" said a familiar voice ahead of them. Peach looked up to see the faces of Link, Zelda, and Roy. Her heart seemed to flutter as she saw her boyfriend, even though he didn't seem too pleased at the moment. Mario just nodded at Roy as he walked into the training room. Roy then walked over to Luigi and Peach, while Link and Zelda went inside to give him some privacy.

"So you noticed his attitude, too?" asked Luigi, relieved that he could finally put down Mario's gear as well as his own.

"Yeah, I did. No offense to you Luigi, but _he's_ the reason why I wanted my girlfriend here to come with me instead."

"No offense taken," said Luigi, shrugging it off.

"Roy, I told you, I can take care of myself!" said Peach, placing her hands on her hips.

"That doesn't change the fact that there's something wrong with him."

"I feel safe around him!"

"He's not himself!"

"He's saved me more times than I can count, most of them before I even met you!"

"Look, I'm just trying to protect you!"

"And since when did you make yourself my bodyguard and protector, Roy?"

"When I became your boyfriend, that's when!"

Peach yelled in frustration and threw her hands in the air, walking down the hallway towards the grandstands. Roy stared after her, realizing what had just come out of his mouth.

"Wait Peach, I'm sorry! Please? Come on now, I'm sorry!" yelled Roy, starting off after her.

"Shut up, you don't care about me!" screamed Peach as she broke into a run, tears in her eyes, while the sounds of the entrance doors being opened echoed off the walls, the noise of anxious fans arriving to watch the matches filling the empty hallways. Luigi ran after her, telling Roy that he'd try to calm her down.

Little did they know, a certain red-clad figure was watching from the entrance to the lockers in the training room, smiling evilly at what had just taken place.

'_Good, she hates him now! Now, I just have to beat elf-boy here for points, defeat Roy when I face him,and then she'll see…she'll see how much I really care about her!'_ thought the figure, who continued preparing for his match.

**Is this the end of Roy and Peach's relationship? You'll find out next chapter. Look, okay, I realize I said I would begin the match this chapter, but my reasons why not remain the same, as this turned into a pretty long chapter! Well, don't worry, as I'm releasing the next chapter on Sunday at the latest. Expect it Saturday though; I just said Sunday in case I got too overwhelmed. The long anticipated fight between Mario/Link will be next chapter first thing, so don't worry I'm not postponing it anymore! I realize Mario's out of character, but you'll find out why next chapter. Well, thanks for staying awake to read this, as I realize this was a LONG chapter, but I had lots to fit in. Expect lots of action next chapter, and some answers to your forming questions. Anyways, thanks for reading and like always, please review!**


	17. Chapter 17: Confessions Of The Heart

**NOTES: Guess I should apologize for not making my old deadline last weekend, but there simply wasn't enough time to finish another chapter, due to the massive amount of homework I've received. I DO however want to thank all my reviewers, because this story, amazingly, is very close to 100 reviews! That's a major accomplishment for me, as I honestly didn't expect this story would get much praise when I first started. So guys, thanks again! Oh, and sorry to disappoint you guys, but again I've postponed the fight to next chapter. BUT, I still think you guys will like this chapter, as something big does happen…well what are you waiting for? Read the chapter and find out!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Super Smash Brothers Melee, Metroid Fusion, Star Fox: Assault, or the Legend of Zelda games. These franchises belong to Nintendo, HAL Laboratories owns part of SSBM, and Namco owns part of Star Fox: Assault. Oh, and guess I should also say I don't own anything related to Metroid Prime or Metroid Prime 2: Echoes since I used the visors from those two games. They belong to Nintendo and Retro Studios. I really don't have time to complain if I want to get this thing out on time!**

**Chapter 17: Confessions of the Heart**

Samus nimbly jumped over the impact waves created by Kirby's sword cutter attack, giving her the perfect opening to launch her charged power beam shot. She set it off, but the pink puffball dodged the ball of energy. Recovering, he ran straight at the bounty hunter, flames circulating around his body. Samus, smirking inside her helmet at the little guy's daring attempt, rolled into Morph Ball form and dropped a few bombs. This stopped Kirby's attack, and did some damage as well. Samus changed back into her combat form, but was blown back a bit due to the gusty winds of Whispy Woods. After the winds died down, she managed to regain her footing, but was surprised to find her opponent nowhere in sight.

While switching to her scan visor, she noticed on the upper right of the viewscreen that she only had one stock left, and about 103.35 percent damage. Due to the computer stored inside her viewscreen, the bounty hunter was able to upload and receive details about the current stage she was on, her damage and ammo counters, stock counter, match clock, and other statistics before any match. But since she and Kirby were in a two-stock match with no time limit however, there was no time counter on the center-bottom of her viewscreen. She continued to use her scan visor, still searching for the pink star-warrior.

'_He can't just disappear from the stage, so he's gotta be around here somewhere…'_

Her answer came in the sound of air being shattered, by what appeared to be a falling pink brick plummeting to the ground above her. The danger meter on the right side of the screen went to the max, alarms sounding with the seconds to impact counting down next to the meter.

Quickly switching back to her combat visor, she barely managed to avoid the falling stone, the impact sending minor shockwaves in all directions. Knowing that it takes about six seconds for him to transform back into his normal form, Samus charged another power beam shot. Just as she finished, Kirby started to transform back into his original pink puffball-like body. She fired, knowing he wouldn't be able to avoid the shot while recovering. Her prediction turned out to be accurate, as Kirby was hit by the blast of energy, sending him off the stage in a daze.

For a moment she almost felt sorry for the little guy while watching him disappear in a bright yellow explosion, but she knew that he really didn't feel any pain. Neither did she in matches, due to the damage counter system's implication for Super Smash Bros. matches everywhere. Her Power Suit, now called her Fusion Suit, also provides some added protection during matches.

"Game!" came the announcer's booming voice, along with mounds of applause and cheers from the off-camera audience. Smash Bros. Inc. had decided to broadcast all matches on networks across the universe, which earned the company even more money. The well-known explosions that occurred whenever a Smasher was knocked out was more of a dramatic thing used for the benefit of the networks, as it made the fights look more epic to the viewers and live audiences watching the matches.

On a floating platform made of light, Kirby reappeared on the stage, still slightly shaken by the impact of Samus' shot, but otherwise fine. He came up to the bounty hunter, smiling while extending his rounded hand. She gladly took it in a firm grip, returning a smile beneath her light green visor as she shook it, while the crowd continued to cheer. Then, Kirby walked off towards a floating platform that awaited the two Smashers, waving to the audience as he did so.

Samus followed in his footsteps, waving her orange, spiked right arm at the audience as she made her way towards the platform, which would transport both her and Kirby back to the nearby town of Green Greens, where her ship awaited. She stopped for a second however, as a sudden chill ran down her spine, immobilizing her for a moment.

'_That's odd. Someone as hardened to fear as I am hardly ever gets the chills. Something's wrong; I can feel it.'_

* * *

The thunderous waves of the Japes River beneath Donkey Kong's cabin continued to roar in fury, as both Donkey Kong's paper fan and Marth's steel blade met at the same time. The impact created shockwaves around the two fighters, while the audience continued to cheer in excitement. Both pressed against each other in an attempt to break the lock, but it seemed as though the two weapons were bound to each other like glue. They continued to struggle, neither Smasher taking the eyes off the other.

Marth was surprised, however, that this could even be possible because of D.K's amazing brute strength, plus the fact that normally Marth's sword would have cut any normal piece of folded paper in half, but the fans used in Smash Bros. battles were made of a special fabric, unable to be broken by even the strongest of weapons.

'_Huh, guess those workout sessions I've been doing have paid off…'_ thought the Altean prince as he continued to fight with all his strength.

"Only 30 more seconds of the match to go, folks! And it looks like the match is going to be a tie, with Donkey Kong at one K.O., as well as Marth! The computers say that each Smasher is tied at 150 percent damage! Now how often do you see that?" yelled the announcer at the top of his lungs, the fans cheering and supporting their favorite Smasher.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Marth saw a glimmer of metal near DK's feet. He knew what it was automatically, and formulated a strategy inside of his mind.

Some surplus strength remained in him to his astonishment, as he started to push DK slowly backwards towards the object.

The crowd continued yelling and pointing about something, but DK paid no heed to them. He was too focused on forcing Marth back that he didn't even bother trying to make out what they were all saying. He never knew what hit him as he stepped on a shard of metal, which propelled him into the air and off the stage, just as the timer sounded.

"And time! Apparently that last K.O. was within the legal time limit, so Marth of Altea wins the match!" screamed the commentator while the fans got on their feet and cheered, chanting the swordsman's name.

Sighing with relief, Marth sheathed his sword, while the fans continued to cheer.

'_Thank the gods that I planted that Motion-Sensor Bomb earlier in the match…_' he thought.

D.K. abruptly reappeared on the stage, appearing no worse for wear. While waving to the audience, he made his way towards Marth, who also was waving, and extended his humongous hand. Nodding, the Altean Prince shook his hand firmly. This was a sign of respect, as most Smashers did this custom to acknowledge each other on a splendid battle.

Releasing each other's hands, they both turned away from the audience and cameras, and watched the setting sun behind the trees of Jungle Japes. Marth had to admit, the sight was truly remarkable, as it reflected how beautiful the DK isles were. He then made a mental note to visit it again with Samus, the next chance he got.

He then thought about his new girlfriend, and wondered how she had fared in her fight. It had happened on the last day of training, he had actually asked her out. To his surprise, she had said yes, and they snuck out of the Mansion and went to the nearby town for an hour, in which they had a great time. Even though she was more than capable of taking care of herself, he still silently prayed for her safety. But his thoughts were interrupted however, as he felt a shiver speed down his spine.

'_Something's wrong; I sense an evil presence about to make its move. Shivers like these only occur when evil is about to strike. I wonder if everything's okay at the other matches…'_

* * *

Link continued to watch Mario out of the corner of his eye as he finished preparing his bombs for their match. Apparently it was starting in 20 minutes, and fans were pouring in by the thousands. Making sure his bomb bag was securely fastened to the back of his belt; he closed his bomb-making kit and put it in his assigned locker, which also contained some backup weapons and accessories. Like in the locker rooms of Smash Mansion, each Smasher was assigned a locker in the locker room, although they didn't use them often thanks to the locker rooms inside the mansion.

Mario, also finished preparing, shut his locker with ferocity as he walked out of the room, heading in the direction of the ready room. Both Smashers were supposed to enter the enormous stage of the stadium from there. Link sighed in relief as the mustached plumber left, while gently shutting his own locker. He didn't like the vibes that had been emulating from the Mushroom Kingdom hero when he had been preparing for their battle. What concerned him the most was the fact that he only felt those kinds of vibes whenever there was an evil presence nearby. Suddenly, he felt a shiver run down his spine, as though the room temperature had suddenly dropped below zero.

'_There's something wrong here. There's an evil force, making those sensitive to it feel like the room around them has dropped in temperature. Not everyone can sense it, but I feel something's definitely wrong here. I'd better be on my guard.'_

"Link, are you ready yet?" said a voice as a familiar feminine figure walked into the room.

Breaking from his thoughts, he turned to Zelda, smiling as his longtime friend entered the room. Since she didn't have a match today, she had decided to come with him, and he was glad to have her company.

"Yeah, guess I am. I thought you'd be in the VIP stands with Luigi, Peach, and Roy right now?"

"Well, Peach and Luigi are there now, and Roy's heading there too, but he's concerned. I just came back out in the hallway and saw Peach running down it, with Luigi struggling to catch up. Roy was just staring after them, a disbelieving look on his face. I tried to talk to him, but all he said was that he had to protect Peach, no matter how she felt. Then he ran off after them before I could get another word out of him. Very odd…"

"Hmm…hey Zel, have you noticed Mario's strange behavior lately? I mean, what's wrong with him?"

Zelda nodded, walking towards him. "Yeah, he seems…different, like he's a completely different person than his usual kind and gentle self. I got a feeling as he walked by me, like the temperature in the room had dropped several degrees."

"So you can feel it too. That chilling feeling…"

"Yeah. I sense dark energy surrounding him, like he's possessed or something. Link, please be careful. I don't want anything happening to you!"

Link smirked as he heard this, shaking his head.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine! Remember, we can't physically hurt each other because of the damage counter system."

He then gained a serious look on his face, a look the former princess of Hyrule was all too familiar with.

"It's you I'm worried about. Who knows what evil could be lurking here, especially when we have Ganondorf to worry about."

She stared at his handsome face, kind of shocked that he actually said that. Of course she had expected him to say something like that, but it was just his tone that surprised her. She just couldn't figure out whether it was just general concern, or something more.

"Link, I'll be okay. Remember in that alternate future when Ganondorf ruled Hyrule and you were sealed away for seven years, I was trained by Impa as a Sheikan and conducted guerilla assaults on his operations. I still have that training, and I can protect myself if needed. Plus, you gave me Din's Fire, Farore's Wind, and Naryu's Love because you didn't need them any longer. So please, just focus on your match and win!"

Link felt incredibly stupid at that point, as he had forgotten that she was a Smasher and a fellow fighter too, and was more than capable to ward off attackers.

"Sorry Zel, it's just that…"

Link couldn't finish his sentence for some reason. He knew what he wanted to say, but he just couldn't say it for some reason. It was as if some invisible force was constricting his voice.

He was surprised to see Zelda get closer to him, a smile on her lips. Link just couldn't help but stare into her eyes.

"You care about me, right?" Zelda said, slowly getting closer to Link, still smiling.

He just nodded; feeling like the room was closing in on him. He continued staring into her eyes, and somehow took comfort in them.

'_Goddesses, what's wrong with me? I've never been this nervous around her before…'_

Before he knew it, she was mere inches away from his face, the smile still on her face. Link couldn't help but smile back, studying every detail of her face.

'_I can't believe this is actually happening…'_

Both of them closed their eyes, their lips were mere inches away…when the intercom sounded.

"_Would Link and Mario please report to the main arena for their match please?"_

Both of them stopped and reopened their eyes, looking at one another. Even though they didn't look it, the two Hylians were cursing time right now. It felt like ages to the two until Link broke the silence.

"Well, guess I gotta go…" he muttered, signs of disappointment in his voice. As like a blind impulse, Zelda grabbed his arm, pulling him back to her. Surprised, Link stumbled as he was spun around, and landed his lips right on Zelda's. The two opened their eyes in surprise at first, but closed them as they kissed passionately, wrapping their arms around one another.

To both of the Hylians, it seemed like time had stopped, and nothing but each other seemed to matter. But, time continued on, and only a few seconds had gone by before the intercom came to life again.

"_Would Link please report to the main arena for his match against Mario? If he isn't there within ten minutes, Mario will win the match by default."_

They broke apart, each gasping for breath. They continued to stare into each other's eyes, smiles creeping on both their lips. It took her effort, but Zelda managed to whisper the words Link needed to hear.

"Go…"

Still smiling, he nodded and, quickly making a last minute inspection of his equipment, turned around and sprinted out of the locker room, rushing towards the ready room.

Zelda just stared after her hero, happiness filling her heart as she watched him go, for she finally knew how much he actually cared about her.

**There, I finally got them together! Yay! I was planning this for a long time, but still didn't quite know how to do it. I did try to satisfy you action fans in the first part of the chapter, but again I just couldn't fit the fight into this chapter without making it the length of a whole novel. But I feel you guys'll be happy that I finally got the main couple together. The next chapter should be out next weekend, as I have the whole plot set out. Check out my profile for progress. Well, thanks like always for reading, and please review!**

**AUTHOR'S EDIT 3/13: Added a small explanation of how Samus and Marth had gotten together, as I forgot to include the fact that they were going out. Kudos to Royal Kenya for pointing that out to me, thanks a bunch!**


	18. Chapter 18: The Corruption of Darkness

**NOTES: I HAVE FINALLY RETURNED FROM THE REALM OF THE DEAD! Okay, I owe everyone an apology for not updating when I said I would, and postponing this chapter for about 4 months (more or less, but I'm too lazy to check). I've had many personal things going on in my life, and I won't bother disclosing them. Well, some of them are just distractions, like borrowing my friend's X-Box and starting to learn how to play the electric guitar. So really no excuses there! (laughter). Honestly though, I've been too lazy to update this story, but I actually feel like writing now. A tad of writer's block also set in, but again that's just another excuse. Anyways again I apologize, and I thank all my readers and reviewers for their continued support. Hopefully this won't happen again in the future, but you can never tell. But just remember what I've said on many occasions: I will NEVER give up on this story until either it's finished, or the world suddenly ends or something. Just a warning, this chapter is REALLY long, so if you don't have enough time, I suggest not reading it until you have the time. Okay, here's the long awaited Chapter 18!**

**DISCLAIMER: You know what, I don't feel like writing it, so if you're one of those people who're real picky about this disclaimer business, then you can find my disclaimer in all of my previous chapters (well, at least I think it's in all of them). **

**Chapter 18: The Corruption of Darkness**

The stadium appeared to be at maximum capacity to Link as he walked up the stairs leading to the stage and the teleporters, where he and Mario would be teleported to the artificial Fourside stage that, in reality, was in the country of Eagleland. After what had just happened between him and Zelda, he had never felt more confident than he did at that moment.

Millions of fans were cheering, shouting various things as he arrived at the top of the stage, where his red-clad opponent waited in silence, his arms crossed and face unreadable.

"Well, it seems the second competitor, Link of the land of Hyrule, has finally arrived. So now we can finally get this match underway!" boomed the announcer's voice from the VIP box above.

The audience went wild with enthusiasm, all waving banners and sporting appeal that supported their favorite Smasher. Link scanned the VIP area of the grandstands for any of his friends, and only saw Roy, Peach, and Luigi. He wondered where Zelda was, but was relieved when he saw her approach the others.

* * *

"Look Peach, again I'm really sorry! Please, you gotta believe me!" pleaded Roy to his girlfriend, who was facing away from him with no response. Luigi had told Roy when he had caught up with them that she hadn't said a word since she stormed off towards the stands.

"What's going on?" asked Zelda as she took a seat beside Roy.

"Nothing, just that Peach won't speak to me. I keep trying to get her to listen, but she continues to look in the other direction and ignore everything I say." explained Roy.

"Well, what happened before today to make you both so distant?" asked Zelda. Luigi was also wondering the same thing, as he still didn't understand what exactly was going on between the two.

"Look, I just said the other day to her that I don't like the way Mario's been acting lately. I mean, he's been prone to angry outbursts and his behavior has been somewhat questionable these last three days. I know he's saved her more times than you or I can count from Bowser; but you have to admit, there's just been something not right about him recently..."

To everyone else's surprise, Peach turned around and stared Roy straight in the face, tears streaming down her face.

"How can you say those horrible things about him? He's always fought selflessly for me and the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom, and never once has he even complained. He never acts like what you describe in front of me. He's honest, caring, and smart. How would you even know about caring about other people? If you really cared about me, you'd trust me and not criticize my feelings and my choice of friends! I don't care what you have to say anymore, Roy! Why can't you just for once leave me alone!"

Roy looked as though he had been hit by a train. But he gathered his composure, stood up, and managed to only mutter one word as he turned away.

"Fine."

With that, he left the top part of the VIP section, and moved down to where the bottom was. Luigi just stared at Peach in awe, tears still streaming down her face, while Zelda rushed down the stairs to catch up with Roy. She still had some questions to be answered.

* * *

Link watched the whole scene unfold in front of him, but couldn't quite make out what everyone was saying. He saw Roy move down to an empty row, with Zelda following him in a hurry. Roy gave a quick nod in Link's direction as he sat down, while Zelda waved at him while sitting down beside Roy.

'_According to Roy, Mario's been acting suspicious lately. He's also had a short temper, so be on your guard.'_ said Zelda telepathically to Link.

'_Thanks for the warning. What was that whole scene all about?'_ Link asked.

'_Roy and Peach aren't talking to each other because of this whole Mario issue. Don't worry about it though; I'll try to help them sort things out. Oh, and good luck by the way!'_

'_Thanks, you too.'_

Their connection was broken by the booming voice of Master Hand.

"Ladies and gentleman, humans, humanoids, and nonhumans of all kinds, I welcome you to another round in our Third Annual Super Smash Brothers Tournament, or also referred to as Tournament III! The match that is about to take place will be the second to last match of the day, as another match between Smashers Luigi and Roy will begin after the conclusion of this fight. This match will be quick, as it's a one-stock match with no time limit. May I remind you all that flash photography and video recording is prohibited, and that any device found being used will be confiscated. Great, now that that's out of the way, would both Smashers please step into their respective teleporters!"

Link and Mario made their way to the two transparent, cylinder-like teleporters in the middle of the stage, and each stepped into one. The doors sealed shut behind them, leaving them encased in a glass tube.

"Now, would the computer please teleport these two fighters to the holographic stage of Fourside, located in the country of Eagleland!"

Link felt a familiar sensation run though his body as though he was being split into segments, and then before he knew it, he had left the brightly lit stadium behind, and was standing under the darkness of the night, on the illuminated rooftops of Fourside.

Back in the stadium, the teleporters in the center disappeared beneath the flooring, and a double-sided viewscreen silently dropped down from the top ceiling. As soon as they locked in place, the two viewscreens switched on, showing the whole stage of Fourside and the two fighters on each end of the stage. A scoreboard was attached to the bottom of each viewscreen, which displayed time, stock lives, percent damage to each fighter, etc.

* * *

"Zel, I know what you're trying to do, but trust me, she's not gonna change her mind anytime soon. You know how sensitive she is about Mario, since he was her former boyfriend and all." Roy said as he watched the viewscreen facing their half of the stadium drop down, avoiding Zelda's questioning gaze.

He sighed as he watched the viewscreen stop and switch on, "I shouldn't have brought it up. Hell, I don't even know if we're still gonna be together after today."

"Don't say that, Roy. You know how naïve Peach is with people she trusts, especially close friends. Personally, I think you're right about Mario. Link and I have also noticed that he's been acting strange." Zelda said.

"That's not the only reason why I suspect Mario of being up to something, Zel. Mewtwo reported to me yesterday that Ganondorf had kidnapped someone in the last couple of days, did something to them, and then released them. He didn't hear a name, unfortunately."

"Do you know what that something was?" Zelda asked.

"No, Mewtwo said he didn't find that out either. He said that he has to tread lightly, to keep his cover as one of Ganondorf's most trusted servants."

"That's important I guess…listen, I'm going back up there to talk with Peach. Maybe I can convince her to see the light of this whole mess." Zelda said as she got up.

Roy stood up to allow her to pass.

"Zel thanks…for trying to help me."

Zelda smiled, put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and proceeded up the walkway towards Peach and Luigi, while Roy sat down and waited for the match to begin.

* * *

Link waited patiently with his arms crossed on a wooden platform held up by a nearby crane, waiting for the match to begin.

He watched curiously at the artificial traffic below, observing the lights of vehicles below and how they illuminated the sky. He knew Mario was on the other side of the large skyscraper behind him, and that the match couldn't begin until Master Hand gave the word. He wondered what was actually wrong between Roy and Peach, but his thoughts dwelled on Zelda, and the awkward scene that had happened in the locker room.

'_I'm happy that it finally happened, and that now maybe she knows how much I actually care about her. But does she feel the same way I do? Wait, of course she does, she wouldn't have returned it if she didn't, would she? Only one way to find out for sure, and that's by asking her out. Well, I don't have anything going on after this match, so maybe I should ask her after we finish. Wish I would've asked Roy, or even Marth how they did it…'_

He didn't have time to dwell on it however, as the whole stage was filled by the echoing voice of Master Hand.

"We are ready to begin, so Smashers please get into your fighting stances."

Link unsheathed the Master Sword and undid his Hylian Shield, getting into a standard fighting stance. He pushed all thoughts out of his mind, and focused on the match at hand.

"Smashers ready? Remember, this is a one-stock match, so be careful. READY…"

Link tightened his grip on the Master Sword, while Mario prepared to jump.

"GO!"

Both Mario and Link leapt into the air, soaring towards the middle skyscraper, while Master Hand, in the stadium, disappeared in a puff of white smoke for parts unknown.

Mario landed first, while Link flung his boomerang at him. Mario dodged the projectile and sent off some fireballs towards Link. He blocked the barrage with his shield, and landed on the skyscraper with Mario, quickly catching his returning boomerang with his shield hand.

Link swung horizontally with the Master Sword, which Mario evaded with ease. Link came around again with a vertical slash upwards, but again Mario evaded him. Before he could bring his sword around again, Mario unleashed a double punch and kick combo, doing some damage to Link. He stepped back, but held his ground.

Link readied a spin attack, but Mario used his magical cape **(A/N: The one from Super Mario World, or the B left or right attack on SSBM)** to turn him around, exposing his backside. Link went to do a spin attack, but Mario had already charged a Smash attack, which he unleashed as soon as Link started.

Link gained some altitude, and nimbly landed on the crane platform he started on, panting for breath. A quick glance at his damage indicator showed that he was already up to 77 percent damage.

'_My goddesses, he's gotten stronger. He's never been that strong before. And his fighting style is full of anger. Just what is going on?'_

Link jumped to avoid a Koopa shell thrown at him, but was hit by something else while in midair, most likely a capsule filled with explosives. Link fell of the ledge, but grabbed the side and leaped back up. Mario was waiting for him, and hit him with another fully-charged Smash attack, purple flame filling his eyes.

* * *

"Peach, I'm just asking you to give him a chance to explain himself, that's all," Zelda said to her friend, who was silently watching the fight go on. Luigi had left to go find some snacks, so they were alone.

"I don't know, Zel. It's just that…I know Mario, and I don't want to believe that what he's been doing lately is suspicious. He's my ex, and is still my friend and savior. He's always been kind to others, and what Roy says just doesn't sound like the Mario I know."

"But you have to admit, he's been acting odd lately."

"Yes, but…I don't want to believe it."

"Well then can you at least give Roy a chance? For me?"

"…fine, but at the end of the match."

Peach suddenly gasped as Mario hit Link with such ferocity that he went flying off the screen. Zelda yelled in fear, as did the rest of the audience as he fell towards the bottom of the stage.

* * *

High above the stadium, near the back where no one was present, Mewtwo levitated and watched the match, his arms crossed and his illuminated eyes following Link's falling figure.

'_So Link, what will you do now? How are you going to get out of this one?'_

* * *

'_My spin attack will be useless here. But there's gotta be something I can do…'_ thought Link as he went falling towards the bottom.

'_Wait, I know!'_

After quickly sheathing the Master Sword and his Hylian Shield, he took out his Hookshot, while trying to lean in his fall towards the nearest building. As soon as he was in range, he fired.

The hook-and-chain shot out and latched onto the side of the building, pulling Link towards it. When it had reached its maximum length, Link hit the side of the building and had to grip the handle tightly so as not to fall.

Soon, he mustered his remaining strength and hit the retract button on the side.

He soared upwards towards where the hook was embedded, and was flung up to the ledge as the hook-and-chain retracted, doing a small somersault and landing on the ledge. Link looked at his Hookshot, grinned, and put it back inside his equipment pouch. He then unsheathed the Master Sword and his Hylian Shield again, and scanned for Mario.

He didn't have to look long, as the plumber landed right in front of him, a scowl on his face.

* * *

Zelda was relieved as she saw Link use his Hookshot to grasp on the side of the ledge and get back on. The audience went wild as he cleanly landed on top of the ledge.

But everyone was amazed to see Mario land right in front of him with an angry look on his face.

"Why would Mario attack him that way? He always fights cleanly, so why is he doing this?" Peach asked with tears welling up in her eyes.

"I told you, he's not himself. Something's happened to him, but we still don't know what," said a voice behind Peach, causing her to jump.

She turned around to see Roy, who was staring at the screen intently in the row behind her.

"What do you me 'we'?" she asked.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sudden sound of Mario's voice filling the stadium.

* * *

"I underestimated how hard you are to defeat Link, but your luck won't save you forever," said Mario, whose voice had a strange, dark voice mixed in with his normal one. His eyes were illuminated with a deep purple rather than the usual blue, and his clothes and skin had a slightly purplish tint to them. Link wasn't taking any chances as he maintained a steady fighting stance.

'_It's almost as if he's possessed…no, it couldn't be could it? He couldn't have possibly…'_

"Fortunately for you though, you're not the one who I'm after. I'm just trying to finish you as quickly as I can so I can go after my real target."

"And who might that be?" asked Link.

Mario's eyes erupted with purple flame, his fists making a sickening crunching sound as he tightened up.

"None other than the b&!$!rd who stole the only thing I ever cared about. And if she won't take me back, then she'll get hers too. I'll show her how much I care, how much she made me suffer after we broke up!" yelled Mario, whose body began to ignite with a purple flame.

"And a certain friend of mine has granted me all the power I've ever wanted. So much power, that both my strength, and my powers have increased twice their normal amount!"

"You mean…"

"That's right, you know of whom I speak of. And since the entire stadium is listening in on our conversation, I'll just announce it into the open: PEACH, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE! I STILL LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THAT I'LL KILL ROY, WHO TOOK YOU FROM ME! I'LL MAKE SURE HE FEELS THE SAME AMOUNT OF PAIN I FELT BEFORE HE DIES!"

* * *

His words echoed throughout the stadium, stunning the audience. However, no one was more stunned than the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. She just couldn't believe what she had heard.

She felt so powerless to do anything. All she could do was cry, and that's what she did. Roy took her in his arms as she cried into his chest, while he continued watching Mario, an angry look on his face.

"So that's who went missing…" muttered Zelda as she continued watching the screen.

"What's going on?" asked Luigi as he came towards them, snacks in his hands.

"This might be too much to understand at once…" said Roy as he quickly explained what had been happening since he had left.

"How could a hero like you allow Ganondorf to control your mind?" asked Link, who became angrier by the minute.

"Because, he promised me I would be able to get back the one I loved. He infused me with this power, telling me it was a favor from him. He said the only thing he wanted in return was your death, and I willingly agreed." said the possessed Mario.

"But we can't actually hurt each other, remember? The damage-indicator system protects us from everything during a match."

"Oh, but that's what you think. That's only if the system is actually on. But if it's off…"

A strange humming noise erupted from Link's wristwatch, as it suddenly turned off. He looked down at it in wonder.

"Wait, what did you…"

He couldn't get another word out as a gloved fist connected with his stomach, knocking the wind out of Link.

He slowly stood up, coughing up some blood.

"…then you're not protected, are you?" smirked the darkened Mario, who now was engulfed in a full purplish flame, dark magic giving him strength.

"But you forget, you aren't either!" yelled Link as he let an arrow off, shooting for Mario's chest.

Mario didn't have enough time to dodge, but only flinched as the arrow bounced off of him harmlessly, doing only 5 percent damage to him as his damage indicator read.

"But…how?"

"Ah, now you see, I still have the system protecting me. Yours however, is still off. So if you hope to beat me, Hero of Time, you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. I'd be careful if I were you though, as you're completely defenseless without your safety net" said Mario with a grin.

"Maybe so…" said Link as he slowly stood into a fighting stance, "but you're forgetting how I used to fight. I never had any system protecting me when I fought Ganondorf and saved Hyrule. Is that really the best you, or should I say Ganondorf, can do?" questioned Link with a small grin on his face.

"Enough!" shouted Mario, rushing towards Link at full speed.

Link was ready, and somersaulted over him, striking a vertical blow to the enraged Mario's back, only raising his damage indicator to 50 percent total.

"You'll have to do better than that to defeat me!" yelled Mario as he hurled purple fireballs at his enemy.

* * *

"So that's what's happened to him? That monster has him under his control?" asked Peach, who had calmed down slightly as she listened to Zelda and Roy explain what they knew. They were yelling over the announcer's loud voice, who was trying to keep everyone calm.

"Yes, Ganondorf's dark magic is feeding off of Mario's emotions. His emotions fuel it and in return, it gains full control of his body. I've seen Ganondorf do it before to captured soldiers during the Dark Years, before Hyrule became an ocean…" Zelda sadly explained, remembering her fallen country.

"So, you're saying that's not really Mario?" asked Peach.

"No, it's him, but he has no control over his body. His spirit and mind are still there, but the dark magic has complete control over him now. It's like watching something else control your body, while you're just along for the ride, unable to do anything" commented Roy. Even though it was completelydifferent magic, Roy had also seen something like Mario's situation in the many wars he had fought as a general.

"So, how can he come back to us?" asked Luigi.

"Only one way: Link will have to defeat him. If Link K.O.es him, then maybe the evil power will leave him."

Peach again felt so helpless as she watched the plumber fight Link, who dodged another fireball heading towards him with his shield, while Mario kept sending them his way. Unlike the usual red, his fireballs were now purple and full of dark magic.

"Hey, where'd Luigi go?" Peach asked, as the three looked around for Mario's brother.

* * *

Luigi ran as fast as he could down the hallway, knocking over people as he headed for the match control room. He knew that all equipment during matches was watched over and controlled there.

'_I gotta get there, I gotta get Link's damage-counter system working again. He's the only one who can save my brother…'_

Before he knew it, he had arrived at the control room, but strangely it was sealed shut.

He tried using fireballs to melt a hole, but the door wouldn't budge.

'_There must be some way to break down this door…c'mon Luigi, think! Use your head…'_

Luigi smiled at himself as he thought of an idea.

He stood back a few feet from the door, and turned sideways to face it. He then crouched and charged up his body. It began to ignite with flame, and just as he reached his limit, he leaped into the air and went flying headfirst into the door, knocking it off its hinges. He landed, and was glad that his "Luigi Rocket" move still worked.

He peered inside and was surprised to see some strange, wooden creatures operating the controls. They were short, about the size of midgets, and were covered in orange leaves and had glowing orange eyes. They had no mouths, and instead had circular snouts. Upon seeing him, they let loose a barrage of Deku Nuts.

Luigi leapt into the air and summoned a wave of fireballs, engulfing the creatures in green flame. They let out high-pitched screams as they burned, and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

Luigi remembered Link telling him of how on one of his adventures in the Lost Woods, he had come across strange creatures called "Deku Scrubs". He said that most were friendly and were covered in green leaves, but others were covered in orange leaves and would attack anything on site. Link had called them "Mad Scrubs" because of their behavior, and that these Deku Scrubs had pledged their allegiance to Ganondorf.

Returning to the present, Luigi ran to the control console and flipped a switch labeled "Fighter 1 Damage-Counter System Control" so it faced the "On" position.

'_I hope that was it…'_ said Luigi as he watched the match from the enormous windows.

* * *

Link was fatigued, and was suffering terribly in his match with Mario. He was covered in scratches and had blood seeping from his left arm where he had been punched, staining his Goron Tunic. Parts of it were torn and it also had some holes in it that marked burns on his skin where fireballs had scorched through his tunic and burned his flesh. The Goron Tunic protected most of his skin however, as it allowed his body to survive extreme temperatures.

He barely could stand up he was so fatigued, and was slow to react as Mario grabbed him by the collar. Even though he had done enough damage to Mario to send him off the stage, he couldn't summon the strength to do so.

"You know, based on the way Lord Ganondorf had described you, I would have thought that you would have put up more of a fight. Guess I was wrong…now to finish you off!"

He went to unleash his Mario Tornado attack, but some mysterious force stopped his fists from connecting with his tunic.

Link flinched, and was amazed as he saw Mario stumble backwards, dazed from holding Link too long. He then remembered that with the damage-counter system in place during matches, it briefly allows grabs to throw your opponent, but if you grab longer than about five seconds, then you became dazed for a brief amount of time.

Seeing his chance, he used his Hookshot to hook onto Mario and bring him towards him. Link grabbed him by his neck, and brought his face up to his own.

"Mario…I know this isn't really you. Maybe this fall will allow you to retake control!" said Link as he quickly hurled Mario off the skyscraper they were on, and watched him disappear in a brilliant flash of light.

"GAME!" echoed the announcer's words as Link was teleported back to the stadium.

* * *

Link sheathed the Master Sword and put his shield back on his back before he stumbled out of the teleporter, and was greeted by millions of cheers from the audience. He waved despite his condition, and would have collapsed from exhaustion if not from the support of someone else's body.

"Link, are you alright?" asked Zelda as she lifted him up, pulling his right arm across her shoulders.

"I've been better…but just you being here makes me feel like a million rupees," he muttered with a small grin.

She smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips, and then looked him over.

"Hang on, let me heal some of these."

She placed her hand on several wounds, each time muttering ancient Hylian words as the wound magically healed itself. Before he knew it, Link was standing upright again, feeling like he did before the match began.

"Wow, that was quick! Maybe you could teach me that sometime…" he said as he kissed her on the lips lightly, smiling down at her.

"Link…"

Both Link and Zelda turned around to see a figure slowly moving towards them. The fatigue-stricken face of Mario moved into view, however he looked like he normally did, his skin and clothes back to their original color. He then collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.

Link ran towards him and kneeled beside his tired figure.

"Link, I'm sorry. Th…the darkness…it took me. I tried to fight it, but Ganondorf's torture…it broke me mentally. It fed on all my deepest pains and secrets."

"Save your strength Mario, you're back to normal and that's all that counts" said Link as he put a hand on his shoulder. By now the others had gathered around the two. However, Mario's eyes focused on Peach.

"Peach…please forgive me. Even after we broke up…I just couldn't take it. My broken heart healed in time, but the torture I endured brought forth again the pain I felt when we broke up. I never had and never will have anything against you being with Roy…so I hope he forgives me too."

Roy nodded at him, a forgiving look on his face.

"Dark power can do terrible things to people…I for one should know. So don't worry, we all forgive you," he said.

Mario smiled despite how hard it was.

"Thank you, Link. That fall gave me enough energy to fight back. You saved my soul…" he said as he passed out. From there, Luigi picked up his brother and carried him to the medical team, who was standing by to take Mario to Dr. Mario for treatment.

"He'll be alright…now that the darkness has left him" said Roy as he watched the team carry him off, with Luigi in tow. After they turned a corner and was out of sight, Peach turned to her boyfriend and looked him in the eyes, while he looked in hers.

"Roy, by the way, I wanted to say…"

Roy shook his head and smiled, "Peach, you don't have to apologize. I should have been more wary of your feelings…so I'm the one who should be asking for the apology. Can you forgive me?"

"No, I was being stupid. I should have realized you'd never hurt me like that…"

But her words were cut short as Roy kissed her, both of them embracing. They broke apart, and hand in hand, walked out towards the nearest exit. The announcer said right after they left that the next match has been postponed by Master Hand until tomorrow. People grudgidly started emptying from the stands, disappointment written on their faces.

Link and Zelda watched Roy and Peach go, and then looked at each other.

"Um, Zel..."

"Yes, Link?" she asked with a smile.

"Um, I was wondering if you wanted to go to town and get some dinner. I mean, you don't if you don't want to…" Link muttered as he started to turn around, but Zelda grabbed his arm.

"But I do! Let'shurry so we can avoid the crowds and get seats!" Zelda exclaimed, and with her hand in his, both of them ran out of the stadium towards the stables, where Epona waited. Link didn't know what restaurant they would go to, or what they would do after that…all he knew was that he felt like the luckiest guy in the world. He smiled to himself as they approached the entrance to the stables.

* * *

The Moblin approaching the door to Ganondorf's private quarters was scared.Frightened that he was the one who had to bring his lord the bad news. He and his buddies had drawn straws, and he had the longest one so he had to give Ganondorf the news this time.

He slowly approached the door, and used the golden Triforce-shaped doorknocker to knock.

"Enter."

Gathering his composure, the Moblin slowly opened the door, revealing a beautifully decorated room with golden embroidery and comfortable furniture. In a darkened corner, he sat, cross legged and meditating in midair. His hellish eyes lit the darkness as he watched the Moblin approach.

"What is it?"

"Um, m-my L-Lord G-Ganondorf…w-we have j-just learned that M-Mario failed in his m-mission. The H-Hero of T-Time came out v-victorious…" he said, trying to get his voice steady.

"WHAT?" yelled the King of Evil, quickly standing up.

The Moblin ran out of the room, screaming in fear as he ran for the safety of his post, slamming the door behind him.

Ganondorf walked out of the shadows, laughing evilly at the fleeing Moblin. Using dark magic, he had successfully transformed himself back into exactly how he had looked before he was sealed away in the War of Time. His former fat and enormous black and brownrobes were replaced by a finely toned body with thick, skin tight black and brown armor covering it. A Triforce symbol glimmered on his left fist, the Triforce of Power glowing the brightest.

_'Fool...does he honestly think I'm angered? I figured it'd take more than a victim of mind control to stop Link. Still, the boy possesses great skill. I'm actually pleased he's stilla challenge...'_

His door opened once again as the Koopa King Bowser entered the room, slowly bowing.

"My lord, our 'associates' have arrived."

"Good, make sure they're waiting in ourbriefing room, and have our chefs prepare them some refreshments. I shall be there shortly."

"Very good, my lord. Oh, and I have a message from Master Hand. He says that many fans are questioning what happened to Mario, and are becoming suspicious. He says that he wishes you to let the fights go on as planned, and to not interfere with them. He did say though, that your 'outside' activities can continue."

"Thank you for informing me, Bowser. Go join the others, you're dismissed."

Bowser bowed once again, and shut the door behind him. Ganondorf looked himself over once again in the mirror, marveling at what black magic could do if channeled correctly.

_'Soon, my preparations will be complete. And then, after I gain control of the Triforce once again, I can proceed with my main plan!'_

He laughed manically. Then, making sure his cape was on correctly, he walked out of his room.

**I know, that was pretty long. But I had to make sure I included everything I wanted to. Usually I won't do long chapters like these, but I can't make any promises if it will happen again in the future. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but expect it in the next three weeks or so. I swear, it won't be as long a wait as last time! While I have the chance, I'd like to thank Royal Kenya, BKP, and the other girls inRK's forum for encouraging me to get this up, and for their warm welcome into their forum. I'd also like to thank all my reviewers, whose reviews inspire me to keep going. Oh, and tomorrow is very special, as it marks the first anniversary of this story's publication! Yes my friends, it's almost been one year since this fic's first chapter was released, so congrats on a year of success for this story! Remember to check out my profile for updates on story progress, and please hit the little button below and review!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE 8/3/06: I've resubmitted this chapter with some grammar errors fixed. The next chapter should be out soon, but I've had to rewrite it so it didn't sound like I was copying someone else's idea, which I don't want to do! Thanks for all the reviews so far, guys! **


	19. Chapter 19: Revival of a Hero's Evil

**NOTES: Sorry I took so long again, as this chapter gave me a lot of trouble to write. Either it sounded too cliché, or it sounded like someone else's idea, or I just didn't like it (Ah, the troublesome life of a perfectionist, lol). Well, I'm not in a good mood right now, mostly because I've started school again, and that mixing with my part-time job on the weekends and after-school activities will mean less time to write. But I'm still determined to keep going, as I truly enjoy it as a hobby, just as much as I enjoy video games. Okay, last chapter we saw Ganondorf preparing to meet with his "associates". I've chosen not to reveal who all of these people are right now, but just keep in mind that they will play a crucial role in the chapters to come (I'll probably introduce them individually as the story progresses). One of my reviewers asked me how far I'm planning to go with this story. I estimated about 35-45 chapters, but before you start thinking I'm insane or something, just remember that some chapters are shorter than others, and I might work on a one-shot or two along the way. Okay, well I'm done now, so here's Chapter 19!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own SSBM, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, or any other Nintendo-related series. They all belong to Nintendo of Japan/America and the other companies that help make them successful, such as HAL Laboratories, Namco, or Retro Studios. Yeah, you can tell I haven't written this in awhile…**

**Chapter 19: Revival of a Hero's Evil**

"And so far, that's all the information I have for you on all of your enemies' current whereabouts, since you all have recently lost track of them in your own worlds. We'll have another meeting soon, to see that we all are in agreement to this coalition. Until then, I thank you for coming and bid you all farewell. My Iron Knuckles will escort you outside, where your own forces await."

Five figures shrouded in the darkness of the dining room nodded, rising from their seats and filed out of the door, with two golden-clad Iron Knuckles following them. Ganondorf looked on as they went, watching as the two doors closed behind them.

'_That went well. I'll have to thank Bowser later for getting me in contact with all of them…'_ he thought as he left the room, the empty echo of the doors closing bouncing off the walls.

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As he started to head back to his quarters, a Stalfos Knight caught up with him. This particular Stalfos looked different from the others, as his limited armor was glossed over in pure gold, and he had a golden sword and shield attached to his back. His sword wasn't jagged and short like the other Stalfos, symbolizing he was of high stature among his forces.

"Lord Ganondorf!" he exclaimed.

The Gerudo stopped, and turned around to face the voice.

"Yes general, what is it?"

"You requested an update on our continuing progress?"

"Yes, how is the resurrection of our forces going?" Ganondorf asked.

"Thanks to your efforts of reviving more Wizrobes, the continuing revitalization of our deceased forces is coming along twice as fast than originally expected. This includes the numbers of our ReDead, Lizardfols, Dinofols, Wallmasters, Skulltulas, Gibdos, Moblins, and Iron Knuckles. As for my Stalfos Knights, we've been able to find more recruits in the Lost Woods to add to our numbers continuing to be revived daily by the Wizrobes. The recruits are being trained quicker by our veterans from the War of Time, and at this rate all our forces will be ready for your bidding in about a month's time."

Ganondorf was pleased, a slight smile creeping on his lips.

"Very good general, your work is exceptional. I will certainly consider a promotion in your future."

"Thank you, my lord." the Stalfos General said, making sure to keep his excitement in check, like he was trained to do.

"Give my compliments to the Wizrobes as well. If progress continues to be this productive, then we shall surpass even the strength we possessed in the War of Time!"

"Yes, my Lord. We shall be ready for active duty soon!" exclaimed the Stalfos General.

"Very good, you are dismissed."

The Stalfos General saluted, and then took off towards the dungeons to continue training his troops.

Ganondorf started walking again, when suddenly he heard a voice in his mind.

'_My lord, are you sure an alliance with those other rulers is such a wise move?'_

The King of Evil wasn't surprised to see Mewtwo suddenly teleport in front of him with his arms crossed in front of his chest, his eyes illuminating the dark corridor.

"Yes Mewtwo, I'm confident in my decision. Remember that I don't tolerate any kind of in subornation, even from you. This time however, I'll make an exception. You are, after all, one of the best intelligence agents we currently possess. Bowser was wise in recommending your services."

'_That reminds me; our spies have learned the location of that mask you were so curious about. It's currently in the hands of a traveling mask salesman, who has a novelty for collecting rare masks. Currently, he's traveling in the Lost Woods. He believes that the mask's dark powers have been driven from it, ever since Link saved Termina from its clutches.'_

"Excellent, Mewtwo. It seems that information I got from Master Hand was correct after all. You are dismissed."

'_As you wish, my lord.'_

With a brief nod, Mewtwo teleported out of the hallway, leaving no trace that he was even there.

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Ganondorf changed direction, and started off towards a different room in his resurrected castle, passing some of the many pieces of Hylian architecture and art that he possessed. Most of them he had plundered from Hyrule during his tyrannical seven year rule in the alternate timeline, his skills as a Gerudo helping him greatly in accomplishing this. How he retrieved them from that now non-existing time was still a mystery.

Unknown to all but his most trusted forces, the Gerudo secretly has a passion for collecting ancient Hylian art. When he was only king of the Gerudo, he marveled at the magnificence of the few remaining ancient temples and buildings the ancient Hylians had left behind when Hyrule still existed. This prompted him to do some research on Hyrule, eventually causing his interest in the Triforce and its many legends.

Shortly he arrived at another set of doors, painted black and built with the strongest metal. He grasped and pulled one of the golden handles and stepped inside, and ended up in his private summoning chamber, where he created new creatures under his control and summoned new ones. Although the entire room was constructed with blue stone, a golden Triforce symbol was painted in the center of the room. Lit torches surrounded it, providing the only source of light in the room.

Ganondorf stepped into it, and kneeled in the center of the Triforce, muttering incantations in ancient Gerudo. He stepped back, and an ill wind began to conjure in the room, blowing out the torches. The Triforce mark began to glow, and then a dark, circular void opened up where it used to be.

He then raised his arms while continuing to chant, closing his eyes and concentrating. Soon, a figure slowly rose from the void, enclosed in complete shadow. All that was truly visible was its glowing red eyes. Ganondorf opened his own eyes, stopped chanting and lowered his arms. The void closed from whence it came and the wind stopped, revealing once again the Triforce mark and causing the air in the room to be still. The torches relit, and the figure was fully visible now, standing in the center of the Triforce mark.

It appeared to resemble a Hylian, or rather a Hylian's shadow. The figure was clothed in a black tunic and hat, along with matching pants and boots. Strung to its back was a black sheath, containing a sword made of an unknown metal alloy. A solid black shield was also strung to the sheath, its face absorbing all light.

The creature's evil-looking eyes looked around the room, until their gaze met the eyes of Ganondorf.

The dark character immediately got on one knee, bowing its head and gazing at the floor.

"Master…" it muttered in a dark, quiet voice.

"I have brought you back from the void between realms, my old creation. Hopefully your time there has allowed you to reflect upon your failure in the Water Temple?"

The creature only nodded its head.

"Good. I have a job only you can accomplish, since you are the only remaining servant I have left from my reign in that alternate timeline. All my other creations were destroyed by those damned sages!"

"What is it that you wish of me?" it asked.

"There's a wandering mask salesman not too far from this castle. He possesses a mask of great value to me, called Majora's Mask. I want it unscathed and brought to me immediately."

The figure slowly rose to a stand, his face and features coming into full focus with the little light inside of the room. Its face resembled that of a certain Hylian warrior's…

"What of the salesman?" the figure questioned.

"He's of no worth to me. Do as you wish with him."

A small, sadistic smile became visible on his face as he heard this.

"Now go, and be quick about it. Remember I want the mask undamaged!"

"As you wish, my Lord Ganondorf," the figure called Dark Link said, as he strode past the King of Evil and ran out of the room. Ganondorf started to laugh again, his voice echoing throughout the chamber.

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Marth was tired after riding back to the Mansion. After bidding farewell to DK, he departed on his faithful horse back to Smash Mansion, stopping only for fresh water to replenish his supply of water bottles.

Now, as he stumbled up the stairs towards his and Link's dormitory, he felt like he could sleep for a week. He seriously considered going to look for Samus to see if she had returned from Pop Star yet, but he figured that she wouldn't be back until tomorrow, since Pop Star was such a long ways from this planet.

He fumbled in his pockets for his room key outside the door while grabbing on the handle, but found out surprisingly that it was open. Shrugging to himself, he went in and immediately dropped his travel pack on the floor, sighing with relief. He looked around the room, and found his roommate already asleep in his own bed, a small smile on his lips. Marth smiled himself at his sleeping form.

'_Hmm…must have had a good time with Zelda. So I guess the speculations I've heard while traveling here were right. Link, I knew you would find the guts in you someday!'_

Not even bothering to change, the prince of Altea collapsed on his bed, his exhaustion finally taking its toll on his sore body as he passed out.

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Beneath the darkness of the night, a lone Hylian dressed in strange purple and gold clothing walked through the Lost Woods, a lantern in his hand and an enormous pack containing various things on his back, complete with masks of all kinds outlining the outside of it. He knew the town he was currently searching for was close, yet it seemed like he wouldn't be there until dawn. Despite this fact, he seemed pleasantly at ease, since there was many a night in the past in which he found himself walking alone under the scattered moonlight of the forest.

Unbeknownst to him, a lone figure was tracking his every movement, high up in the branches of one of the taller trees. The darkness of the night helped to camouflage his already darkened clothing and complexion, making the lone figure beneath him totally oblivious to his presence.

Stealthily so as to not reveal his presence, he jumped down towards another tree branch, so as to get a better view. Not once did the sound of his boots landing on the branch nor the straining sound of a branch bending with the added weight alert the oblivious traveler.

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"Oh, I do hope I find that Inn soon…" the Happy Mask Salesman said to himself out loud as he continued to wander the forest in search of the town that was supposedly around here, his lantern illuminating the path in front of him.

After leaving Termina, he had been busy collecting all sorts of different masks from around the world to add to his already impressive collection. When he heard of Hyrule's demise, he was saddened but decided to wander the world in search of more masks. But he still couldn't find a mask worth more than the one that had almost destroyed Termina.

Thankful that the evil power was gone from it, the mask salesman had continued to keep Majora's Mask stored away in a safe place in his pack, away from curious eyes. It had caused him so much trouble, yet he was still very fond of the mask. So he continued to keep it, a burden that he considered to be his and his alone.

Currently, he was en route to Smash Village, where he was going to stock up on supplies and stay the night. However, he had been wandering in the Lost Woods for what he estimated had to be about six hours, looking desperately for the village.

Humming the Song of Healing to himself, he stopped when he heard a rustling in the bushes on his right. He stopped for a second, curious as to what made the noise as he aimed his lantern at the bushes.

"Hello?" he asked the darkness.

An incoming arrow was what answered him.

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Dark Link dropped to the ground, getting an arrow out of his quiver and arming his bow. While moving silently, he brushed against a tree, creating some noise as its bushes moved.

The Mask Salesman stopped, and aimed his lantern at a nearby bush. Dark Link quickly got his bow up, and took aim at his target.

"Hello?" asked the salesman to no one in particular.

Dark Link closed one eye, carefully lined up his target, and fired.

The mask salesman hardly had time to react as he tried to move, but the arrow managed to pierce his shoulder. He cried out in pain, dropping his lantern and trying to pull out the deadly projectile, his shoulder oozing with blood. He lost his balance from the surprise, and fell over with the heavy weight of his pack.

His eyes moved in panic as he tried to pull out the arrow, looking for whoever shot it. To his horror, a creature clothed in darkness emerged from the brush, a black sword drawn at his front.

The salesman tried even harder to pull out the arrow as the figure approached, but to no avail. He tried to run, but the pack continued to hold him in place, obstructing all movement.

Finally, the figure was above him, the sword held over his head in a two handed grip, a sadistic smile on his face. The salesman could only open his mouth in shock at the face of that figure, only uttering one word as the sword came down upon him.

"You…"

**Okay, I'm not a sick person, okay? Just making that clear. I apologize to all people who love the Happy Mask Salesman, by the way. I have no grudge against the guy, but I felt that his death was necessary in order for Dark Link to obtain Majora's Mask for Ganondorf, AND to give better insight on his personality. YES, I've confirmed that Ganondorf wants Majora's Mask. This definitely won't be the last time you'll see old DL, by the way. I can most certainly guarantee that. Well, I don't know when the next chapter will be out, but I'll try to get it done in a reasonable amount of time. Thanks like always to all of my reviewers, since you guys continue to empower me with your encouragement! Next chapter will be better, I swear. Oh, I want to know from you guys in your next review, if I should include any of the announced characters from the trailer of SSBB. (Yes, I've seen the trailer. It's awesome!) I've thought about possibly including Meta-Knight or Solid Snake in this story, but I'm not sure if any of the new characters would be able to fit into the plot. So tell me in a review if you'd like to see any of the new characters, okay? Well as always thanks for reading, and please hit that little button down there and please review! **

**AUTHOR'S NOTE 9/10: Oh my god, I'm such a dumbass! Why oh why did I give away Dark Link's personality in an author's note! Sorry guys, my mistake. Special thanks to BKP for pointing that out to me, as I didn't realize that I had left that there from a previous edit! Well, it's gone now, so hopefully not too much damage done. A character's personality should be described in future chapters, not in one sentence! Again, my apologies. Okay, enough rambling and apologizing. All I've done in this edit is changed that sentence, and one word that I left out of a description. Stupid line button still isn't working, for some reason. I'll fix it if it ever decides to work again. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far, by the way. I'll get back to all of them as soon as I get a free moment, which will probably be in the middle of the week. Expect the next chapter soon! (I hope…)**


	20. Chapter 20: Preparing for the Unknown

**NOTES: Um, where to begin…well, how about, I'm sorry? Yeah, I know it's been awhile, but sadly I got sidetracked from this story and every time I went back to it, I either had no inspiration, was too lazy, or was distracted by schoolwork, my job, after school stuff, or even other things. Well, I figured it's about time I got this story back on track, so sorry for the long wait guys. After rereading some of my earlier chapters, I've decided to change the way I write the battles in this fic. I mean, there's only so much you can do with only the standard moves each character is given in SSBM, so to make it a little more interesting I'm changing the way I'm writing all battles. Also I've decided to leave the new SSBB characters out of this fic, after some consideration and opinions from my fellow authors. Okay, well let's just get on with this; I'm already very anxious to start writing again!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros. Melee, or any other games that have been used or mentioned in this story. These franchises belong to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories. If I actually owned these games, I wouldn't be writing this fanfic now would I?**

**Chapter 20: Preparing for the Unknown**

The King of Evil sat in his throne room, listening to the Stalfos General's report on the surrounding area's physical features, when both of the twin doors at the far end of the room opened.

Inside walked Dark Link, holding a strange purple, heart-shaped mask with spikes decorated around it. It had many tribal markings on it from an ancient race, and as well as two golden, rounded eyes. When Ganondorf saw this, he gave an evil smile and ordered the general out of the room for a moment.

"Yes, my lord. I'll be waiting outside in the hallway."

The general gave a brief bow and walked briskly out the door, leaving his leader alone with the newcomer. Dark Link slowly came up to his master, showing off the mask that he had swiped from the body of the Mask Salesman.

"Was that Salesman any challenge?" asked Ganondorf.

"No, he was unarmed. I killed him with ease and precision…" remarked Dark Link with a slight chuckle.

"Did you dispose of the body and anything else he possessed after you finished?"

"Yeah, I burned it after I searched him with the weakling's lantern. I couldn't find anything on his body, but I did find this hidden away in his pack…" said the demon as he gave Majora's Mask to Ganondorf.

He examined it for a minute, studying its features, and then placed it on a pedestal to the left of his throne. He faced it while closing his eyes, and raised one of his hands as he chanted in ancient Gerudo. Lightning started to surge through his body as he continued to chant, while Dark Link watched in mild interest, having seen this many times before.

Then, Ganondorf stopped chanting and opened his eyes, releasing the energy inside of him. It struck the mask with brutal force, yet when the bolts subsided, not a scratch was left on the ancient looking mask.

The Gerudo watched it for a minute in speculation, wondering if his spell had worked. All of a sudden, the mask started to rumble on its pedestal as it tried to rise into the air. Quickly Ganondorf brought up his fist and using minor strength, brought the mask back down and pinned it to the pedestal. It started to speak in a demonic voice, full of malice and rage.

'_Was it you who resurrected me, dark one?'_

The King of Evil stepped forward, keeping his eyes transfixed on the mask.

"Yes. I am Ganondorf, the King of Evil, and I have restored some of your lost power to you. My loyal servant here swiped your inactive form off of a wandering Mask Salesman, who was entrusted to guard you."

The mask started to move again, but found that it was bound to the pedestal by some invisible force.

'_Free me at once! I must have revenge on that infidel Hylian who defeated me!_' it screamed.

"If you try to defeat him now, I'll guarantee that you will be easily beaten. But if you stay here with me for now, ancient one, I promise that I will help you restore your former powers."

The mask lay dormant for a moment, as if it was thinking, then suddenly its eyes started to glow, as they fixed on the intimidating figure of Ganondorf, who continued to maintain a strong demeanor as he watched the mask.

'_What is it that you propose?' _it asked.

Ganondorf allowed himself a small grin as he stated his terms, while the mask listened silently.

_

* * *

_

_Two weeks later…_

Link narrowly avoided Captain Falcon's incoming fist as he rolled to the side. He didn't have much time to rest as a lightning-fast roundhouse kick came close to hitting his head. He did a quick back flip, and returned to a ready stance inside a small alter, Master Sword and Hylian Shield at the ready while his opponent got in to a fighting pose.

"Wow, another near miss for Link! And Captain Falcon's not about to let up either. This is truly an exciting match folks, one of the best since the tournament started just two weeks ago!" cried the announcer over the speakers. The fans answered with cheers of excitement from the stands, waving banners and standing up to cheer on their Smashers.

From the top of the stands reserved for VIP's, Zelda, Marth, Samus, Roy, and Peach all watched the viewscreen as the match at the holographic Hyrule Temple continued inside the grand stadium near Smash Mansion. They all watched in excitement as Link rushed at Captain Falcon again, while the two time F-Zero champion waited to act. Link swung forward with the Master Sword, but it missed Falcon as he avoided it. Quickly recovering, he tried to get in close to Link while preparing one of his powerful Falcon Punches. The Hylian brought up his shield, which connected with Falcon's fist, a flaming falcon peeling away some of the paint on the shield. It was a miracle that the shield didn't shatter, with the amount of force that Falcon launched at it. Link nearly got knocked off his feet as his shield absorbed the blow, sending his shield arm to his side. Realizing his entire chest area was exposed now; he did a quick roll forward and spun around to face Falcon. The racer slowly got to his feet, rubbing his hurting fist.

"Wow, that shield must be made of some durable metal. That was one of my strongest punches," remarked Falcon with a small grunt.

"It's made of the finest metal found in all of Hyrule. One of a kind now, since it's underwater now…" said Link with a sigh, pointing to the Great Sea below.

"Well it's been a good fight so far, Link. Only one minute left in this ten minute match and neither of us has a K.O. We're both evenly matched."

"Yeah, I guess medieval weapons are a match for martial arts after all," said Link.

"Well enough talk, pal. I know I'm at a disadvantage as this is your home stage, but don't you think I'm just going to give up because of that!" remarked Falcon behind his visor.

"I wouldn't expect you to, my friend. For Hyrule!" shouted Link as he rushed at Falcon, the Master Sword glimmering in the artificial sun as he raised it up. Falcon rushed as well, bringing up his fists.

Link swung vertically, hitting Falcon and stunning him briefly. He responded with a Falcon Kick, sending Link flying forward in flames. He jumped up towards the Hylian, grabbing on to him while he sparked a series of explosions. He let go, letting Link fall towards the bottom of the stage. He recovered quickly, and jumped towards the ledge, using a quick spin attack as a final boost to grabbing the edge. He sprung up again, readying himself for whatever was at the top.

He saw Falcon immediately, holding a blaster he found in a capsule. He fired immediately. Link got hit by the first shot, but managed to jump up to a platform above him, while Falcon readied another shot, jumping up after him.

At the top, Link's eyes lit up as he saw an inactive beam sword, which the computer had planted inside the match. He put his shield away while grabbing the weapon and fingered the activator, watching as the purple blade matched the size of the Master Sword. He jumped down to the bottom, facing Captain Falcon while forming his two blades in a deadly fighting pose.

Falcon gave a slight smirk, which was hardly ever seen on his usually serious face, as he brought out an identical beam sword that he had found inside of a crate at the bottom while waiting for Link.

"Usually I prefer either fists or guns over blades, but this will do just fine. I see you're finally using present-day technology, Link," remarked Captain Falcon with a small grin.

"You know I usually don't favor futuristic weapons since I have such a hard time using them, but the beam saber is an exception" Link retorted.

"30 seconds left, folks! Both competitors are at 250 percent damage and neither one will fall! Will this match end up going to a sudden death? Will there finally be a winner?" the announcer cried over the loudspeakers inside the stage and in the stadium back in the real world.

"Show me your moves, Link!" shouted Falcon as he ran at Link.

Link gave a battle cry as he rushed towards Falcon, his two swords at the ready. Falcon's blade came towards Link's face as he blocked with both of his blades. Falcon withdrew his blade and swung at Link's midsection, while Link parried it and did a cartwheel over Falcon's head. The racer spun around to meet the Master Sword just inches away from his face as he raised his beam sword to block. Link unleashed a vicious array of slices and blows, both from his swords and his feet, which Falcon barely managed to block with just one sword and his free hand.

With time running out and his body tiring, Falcon thrust at Link while fully extending the blade to its maximum length. The Hylian rolled to the side, and came up with a rising double bladed spin, sending Falcon airborne. He landed on the right handed edge of the stage, heavily breathing as fatigue started to take its toll on his body. Somehow he managed to get up, and started to run again at Link, who was dashing over to finish him off.

With only ten seconds left, Falcon instead charged one last Smash attack, waiting until Link was in range. He unleashed it, and Link leaped up into the air, doing a front flip over Falcon while discarding his beam sword and bringing out his Hylian Shield once again. As Falcon turned around, Link unexpectedly bashed his shield into Falcon's body before he could bring up his beam sword to defend. This brought him into a minor daze, and Link did a final spin attack, knocking Falcon off the stage for good in a dazzling display of lights and explosions.

"Time!" the announcer proclaimed as Falcon reappeared on a floating platform, breathing rapidly. Link sheathed the Master Sword and put his Hylian Shield on the scabbard attached to his back, wiping sweat off his face as both Smashers were teleported back to the stadium.

* * *

Both Smashers reappeared unscathed but fatigued as they made their way outside their respective teleporters. The crowd was on its feet, cheering and clapping. Both Link and Captain Falcon waved at them, and made their way towards one another. Falcon immediately stuck out his gloved hand, smiling.

"That was one hell of a fight, Link. Congrats to you!" he said.

Link extended his own gauntleted hand and grasped Falcon's in a firm handshake.

"Likewise, Falcon. I hope you can make it to the finals!"

"Nah, it's not that important to me pal. If I do, that's great, but I'm more focused on winning another F-Zero championship. The Grand Prix starts next month and I have to start training again if I'm going to win. So I'm going to Mute City until Master Hand tells me when my next match is."

"Well, good luck. May the goddesses smile upon you!" Link said.

Falcon nodded, gave Link a clap on the shoulder as he walked off towards the southern exit, heading for his number 07 Blue Falcon to head back to Smash Mansion.

'_He's truly a great warrior with a good heart, for a racer that is…'_ Link said with a grin as he watched the Mute City denizen walk out the exit, giving some final waves and signing autographs as he left. He turned around to see his friends running towards him. Zelda enveloped him in a hug as she got to him, while the others followed her, smiling as they approached the pair.

"Wow Link, you really kicked Falcon's ass!" remarked Samus.

"What a difficult match. Nicely done, Link!" Marth remarked, while Roy and Peach nodded their approval with a smile.

"Thanks, but let's get out of here before the fans have a chance to leave before we've gone," said Link with a smile as Zelda finally released him. The six friends started to make their way to the northern exit, heading for their respective rides back to Smash Mansion.

* * *

'_And another victory for the Hylian hero, Link! Two weeks and he has yet to lose a match! Could this be his year? Could he possibly go on to win the title? We'll just have to wait and see folks, but for now on to other Smash Bros. news. On Corneria this afternoon things started to heat up as legendary mercenary Fox McCloud and famous Mushroom hero Mario fought…'_

Master Hand muted his private vidscreen immediately as the announcer started to cover another match, with pictures of Corneria, Fox, and Mario in the background. He slowly turned in his seat to face his servant Ganondorf.

"This is disturbing news, my friend. Luckily for us, the Mario incident blew over quickly thanks to a convincing explanation by yours truly. Yet it hasn't stopped that irritating Hylian from winning every single one of his matches ever since then. What's his record now…err…5-0…7-0?"

"6-0, my master," Ganondorf corrected.

"Whatever! The point is that he's starting to become a nuisance. And if you want to win this competition for us Ganondorf, you're eventually going to have to not only fight your first battle in this tournament, but also you'll have to face your nemesis in combat," the hand said.

"What are you asking me to do, then?" asked Ganondorf.

"It's rather simple. I've just realized that Link has only been fighting matches inside the stadium. He's been too close to home for his own good. So, why not make it a little more interesting, hmm? I'm sending Link to Venom, to fight Fox McCloud of the Star Fox team."

"Excellent, master," Ganondorf said.

"And Ganondorf, have you chosen a suitable fighting style yet? Unfortunately, if you used your magic attacks in the competition it would make you too powerful."

Ganondorf gave an evil smile as he eyed the image of Captain Falcon, waving to fans as he boarded the Falcon Flyer to head back to Mute City.

"I've found just the style I like."

* * *

"I can't believe you have to go to Venom with the Star Fox team to fight!" exclaimed Zelda as she talked with Link inside his and Marth's dormitory, while Link continued to pack his things inside a travel pack.

"There's not much I can do about it, Zel. It's Master Hand's orders…" said Link calmly as he continued packing his things, including his Hookshot, Hero's Bow, Bomb Bag, Boomerang, Goron and Zora tunics, and various other things he had acquired in his travels.

"But what if something happens to you out there? I won't be able to help! I mean, you've never even been to space!" shouted Zelda.

"Zel, relax! I'm gonna be with Fox and his crew, anyways. Remember, I can travel with other Smashers to get to other arenas. Fox already contacted me yesterday and said he'd come back here with the Great Fox after he finished up some business in Corneria. So don't worry about me, okay? They're not the galaxy's best team of mercenaries for nothing!" said Link with a slight laugh.

Zelda still looked worried as the Hero of Time finished packing, tightening his travel knapsack and strapping his scabbard containing the Master Sword to his back, along with his newly painted Hylian Shield. Because of the last match, he had also packed the Mirror Shield just in case, along with his iron and hover boots. He grunted slightly as he hoisted the travel knapsack over his left shoulder.

"Do you really have to bring so much equipment with you, Link? Half of that you won't be able to use in the battle," stated Zelda with a questioning look.

"From my experiences, I've learned that you can never be too prepared for what the unknown will throw at you," said Link as he moved closer to her. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and then embraced her. Zelda hung on tightly, not wanting to let go of her hero.

"Link, just promise me you'll be careful. Come back to me alive, okay?"

"Of course. Just stay safe until I get back."

Zelda gave off a slight laugh as they let go of each other.

"Don't worry about me; Samus'll stay with me until you return. Marth also said he'd keep an eye out for you, since Roy went off to the Mushroom Kingdom with Peach to fight Yoshi."

Link nodded, gave Zelda a final hug and kiss, and started out the door. Samus suddenly opened the door before he could reach it, though.

"Link, the Great Fox just landed. You'd better get a move on, since I know Fox and Falco want to leave as soon as possible. They don't need fuel until they get to Venom anyways."

"Okay, thanks Samus…oh wait, I almost forgot something!" said Link as he quickly made his way back over to his closet. He pushed aside a row of dress tunics and other Kokiri tunics to find a large box. He opened it, and searched until he found a strange looking mast. It looked similar to Link, except the mask had white hair with tribal markings outlining the wooden face, and a horrified expression. He hastily packed the mask away and put away the box, closing his door.

"Was that what I think it was? You're definitely not going to need that, are you?" asked Zelda with a horrified expression on her face.

Link turned around and put a reassuring hand on her golden-plated shoulder, giving her a determined look. She still couldn't resist the calming sight of those cerulean eyes of his.

"I'm not gonna be using it, but I'd feel safer knowing it's with me instead of here. I have a feeling it might be dangerous if I left it here, especially with Ganondorf around…" remarked Link with a solemn expression.

Zelda knew the whole story behind the Fierce Deity's Mask, and how Link had used it to defeat Majora's Mask in Termina. The only time Zelda had ever seen true fear in the eyes of Link was when he told her about it, four months after they had come to Smash Mansion.

'…_I'm telling you Zel, that mask is evil. I nearly lost control of myself the last time I used it. The amount of power I felt…it was unimaginable. I swore after that encounter with Majora's Mask that I would never use the power of the Fierce Deity again. But I didn't want to give the mask to the Mask Salesman for safe keeping either, so I decided to keep it, to guard it from evil hands. At least until I can find a way to destroy it…'_

"Come on Link, Fox's getting impatient!" yelled Samus as she waited in the hall.

"Okay, I'm coming already! Oh and please remember to look after Epona for me, Zel!" shouted Link as he lifted his travel knapsack again and started to run out the door. But before he could leave, Samus grabbed his arm and handed him a communicator wristwatch. Link looked at her questioningly as she gave a slight smile to him.

"Call me if you need any help out there. I promise I'll look after Zel for you while you're gone, okay? I have no matches for the next week anyways, and neither does Marth so he'll also help me."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," said Link, giving Samus a quick embrace as he ran towards the docking bay, putting the wristwatch on his right wrist. Zelda came out of Link's room; shutting the door and watching him make a mad dash down the hall.

"He'll be fine, Zel. Even if he is no mercenary or bounty hunter, he'll be fine in space…" said Samus. Zelda only nodded as she watched the man she loved disappear around the corner, hoping that that wouldn't be the last time she saw him.

"Come on Zel, let's go watch some TV. I'll make some tea for us too," said Samus as she walked with Zelda back to their room.

**I think I'll end this chapter here, as I don't want it to be too long. Well, I still had more I wanted to include, but I'll just save it for next chapter. I'm mostly gonna focus on Link in the coming chapters, but I'll eventually go back to Zelda and Samus, as they will be doing something eventually instead of waiting around for Link to get back. So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, everyone. I'll definitely try to update more often, so hopefully I'll be able to finish the next chapter sometime in the near future, but it's going to be hard with having to deal with work, another show, and second trimester finals on the horizon. Thanks again to all my reviewers for their continued support, especially to BKP, Royal Kenya, crystalicios, and Sage of Downtown Hyrule. Anyways, thanks again everyone, and please hit the little button below and review! **


	21. Chapter 21: When the Shadows Attack

**NOTES: Man, I'm so glad that the last chapter was well-received! Thanks to all my reviewers and readers for their continued support. It just makes me want to update even faster! And maybe if I did, I would get even more reviews…ah, it doesn't matter. I would have had this up faster, but I had another drama production to do, and for some reason ever since I started the new trimester all my teachers think that it's okay to give five hours of homework every night along with five tests a week. Argh! Okay, well all I'm gonna say about the beginning of this chapter is that readers who have played Twilight Princess may recognize some things, but remember that I'm not including that game in this story. I told you all that it gave me some ideas, though. Now that that's out of the way, without further ado on with the story!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros. Melee, or any other games that I have used in this story. All of these series belong to Nintendo and other companies that helped make these games, and HAL Laboratories owns part of the Super Smash Bros. series. If I owned these companies, I would probably have lots of money right now, not have to go to school, and would have more time to write stories!**

**Chapter 21: When the Shadows Attack**

_Three days later…_

With twenty Stalfos, forty Moblins, and ten Lizardfols coming at him, Link readied the Master Sword as he faced their combined onslaught. Just as they reached him and started to attack, the Hero of Time unleashed a devastating spin attack, killing at least half their numbers and injuring the others. As soon as he finished, Link broke into a roll as a Stalfos swung his jagged sword horizontally where the Hylian's head was a moment earlier. He stood back up and sliced through two Lizardfols and a Stalfos.

As they disappeared in clouds of black smoke, Link spun around on his heels while bringing out his Hero's Bow and retrieving an arrow with a bomb attached to it. He quickly ignited it and aimed as the rest of the monsters ran at him, weapons raised to kill. He carefully closed one eye and aimed for the center of the group. He fired, and the bomb arrow exploded, taking out all the remaining Moblins and Lizardfols and all but one Stalfos.

He brought out his Hylian Shield and Master Sword again as the Stalfos did the same.

They moved in a circle, both having their shields raised against the other's attacks. Neither one made a gesture to attack as they continued to circle.

'_Come on, attack me…'_ thought Link as he continued to keep his shield raised, Master Sword at the ready.

Just as it seemed neither one would attack, the Stalfos launched in the air, attempting a jumping strike as he raised his sword. Reacting quickly, Link rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the hit. While it recovered, Link did a front flip in the air above the Stalfos, bringing his sword down at its head as he did so in a new move he called the "helm splitter". When he landed behind it, the Stalfos fell on its back, and struggled to get up. Before it could, Link leaped into the air and implanted his sword into its chest, spilling green blood. The skewered monster quickly disappeared in black smoke.

Pulling the Master Sword out of the ground, Link sheathed it and put away his Hylian Shield as he looked around the open field he was currently standing in. Strangely enough, he was in Hyrule Field, with its lush green grass, flowing rivers, tall trees, wooden fences, and dirt roads. He even saw Hyrule Castle and the surrounding Castle Town in the distance, connected by a large retractable bridge over the castle moat.

After dusting off his Kokiri tunic he sat down on a tree stump and enjoyed the scenery in front of him. Digging into one of his many hidden pockets, he took out the Ocarina of Time and put the mouthpiece to his lips.

'_Goddesses, it's been ages since I've played this…'_ he thought joyfully as he played.

He played Saria's Song in its entirety and then the Minute of Forest, letting the sweet music fill his ears while refusing the option of warping to the Sacred Forest Meadow. After playing through the Prelude of Light and the Nocturne of Shadow, he was startled by a sudden flash of lightning. Dark clouds started to fill the once clear blue sky, and it started to pour, covering the once clear view of the castle in a dense fog.

'_That's strange…I don't remember playing the Song of Storms…' _thought Link as he put away the Ocarina of Time.

The fog lifted as quickly as it had come, and he was shocked to see the bridge to Castle Town in the distance, completely destroyed and in ruins along with the town, the painful screams of all the townspeople echoing across the plains. Quickly after the screaming stopped, he could have sworn he heard the moaning sounds of ReDead in the distance.

Visions of the alternate Hyrule that he had encountered in that alternate seven year timeline came flooding back into his mind as he started running towards the town. He looked up at Hyrule Castle as he ran, wondering if Zelda was okay, but was surprised to see lightning abruptly hit the castle, causing it to explode. He stopped in his tracks, yelling out Zelda's name as he saw the smoke and rubble of the castle subside. He was even more stunned to see Ganon's Castle slowly rising out of the ground, shaking the earth below his feet.

After the rumbling stopped, a loud neighing was heard in the distance as a flash of lightning grazed the sky. Link turned to see a dreadful sight by the bridge.

Ganondorf, the King of Evil, was mounted on one of his faithful black steeds, its head and body covered with thick black armor and its hooves bleeding darkened blood. The Gerudo reared his horse up as another lightning bolt illuminated the sky, fully exposing him with a long blade in his left hand, the Triforce of Power glimmering off his fist.

Link drew the Master Sword and his Hylian Shield, but knew that he was at a strong disadvantage in the open field. He looked around for any kind of cover, but couldn't find any. He reached for his Hero's Bow, but discovered to his astonishment that he had no arrows left in his quiver. He also felt that he was running low on magic power, which meant that he couldn't use any magical attacks to protect himself. He looked for any remaining green potion he had on him, but found that all his bottles were empty.

He started to panic as Ganondorf urged his horse into a charge, raising his sword above his head and letting out a Gerudo war cry, while he summoned ghost riders with blades of their own to ride beside and around him. Soon he had summoned a large army of the dead to follow him in his charge.

All Link could do was stand there, too horrified to move as Ganondorf and his army got closer and closer to him, lowering his sword down so that it was aligned to decapitate any unfortunate being in its path. Link started to scream and the Triforce of Courage on his left fist started to glow brightly as the blade's surface approached his head, focused on cutting though his neck.

Everything went black around the hero all of a sudden, and the faces of all his friends and fellow Smashers flashed before his eyes.

'_Marth…Samus…Roy…Peach…Mario…Fox…'_ he thought as more and more faces flashed before him, each one disappearing as fast as he could recognize them. However, there was one face that stayed the longest, and had the hardest impact on Link.

'_Zelda…'_

That was his last thought as a giant blade cut through Zelda's face and the surrounding darkness, splitting open his throat…

* * *

The Hero of Time shrieked in fear as he rose up in his bed, breathing heavily and sweating as he looked around his small guest room aboard the Great Fox. As he realized where he was, he fell back on his pillow again and started to slow his breathing with a calming exercise he had been taught long ago. The Triforce of Courage was shining brightly on his left hand as he brought his hands to his face, letting out a relieved sigh.

'_It was that same dream...ever since I left Smash Mansion on the Great Fox I've been having this same dream over and over again. Is it a sign of the future? Like the dream I had of Ganondorf back in the Kokiri Forest before I met Navi so long ago? Or is it something else…'_

He was starting to breath normally again, so he looked at the digital clock on the dresser across the room, which read 8:17. He slowly started to rise as a knock came to his door.

"Hey Link, you up? We reached Venom about two hours ago, and the match begins around noon. While you're getting ready, I'm going down to Venomian City to pick up some supplies with the rest of the team. I'll be back in an hour and a half, okay?" said the voice of Fox McCloud from the opposite side of the door.

"Thanks for letting me know Fox. I'll be on the bridge soon for the match."

"Yup, just stop by the kitchen and help yourself to some breakfast before you come on the bridge. I don't wanna fight you if you're not at your best!"

"You don't have to worry about that, Fox," said Link with a small smile as he got out of bed, and started to do some stretches. After that he did a few sets of push-ups and sit-ups before taking a quick shower. The technology aboard the ship was still somewhat new, but after hanging around Samus for so long he knew what most of the controls did.

After putting on his sweats, chain mail, Kokiri tunic minus his hat, and Kokiri boots, he quickly assembled the equipment he would need for the upcoming match, mainly consisting of his Hero's Bow and arrows, bombs, Hookshot, and his boomerang. While searching through his travel knapsack, he came across a recent pictograph of Zelda and himself in the gardens outside Smash Mansion, which he had packed away secretly. He sat down on his bed and stared at it, focusing on Zelda's smiling face.

'_It's only been three days since I last saw her and already I miss her. I never could communicate telepathically with her over long distances, but still I wish I could hear her voice right now…to at least know that she's okay…'_

He thought briefly about the communicator watch Samus gave to him before he left, but decided that he would use it for emergencies only since it had only a small power cell from what he had seen. Instead he got up and stared out the window of his room, looking up at the dismal sky of Venom while still clutching the pictograph in his hand.

'_Zelda…I swear to you I'll be back soon. I just can't stand leaving you at Smash Mansion with Ganondorf on the loose again, but I have to do this so we can defeat him and revive Hyrule…'_

* * *

'_Link…'_ thought Zelda as she stared up at the fading night sky, wondering where he was now. She had tried to communicate telepathically to him numerous times in the last two days, but for some reason she couldn't get through to him. Samus had told her Fox had sent an e-mail, saying that he had made it to Venom and that both him and Link were fine, but she still missed him. His messy blond hair, his oceanic blue eyes, his loving touch…

"Hey Zel, you ready to go watch the match?" asked Samus as she walked up behind the princess, after completing an adjustment to her Power Suit's internal heating systems. She spun around to face her friend, a sad smile on her face.

"Still thinking about him, huh?" asked Samus.

"Yeah…" said Zelda, a distant look on her eyes.

"Ah don't worry, you'll see him tomorrow, not to mention on the live broadcast of the match. Fox tells me that since Corneria has colonized Venom now and finally set up a government there, they now possess a warp gate. That means that the Great Fox will be back first thing tomorrow morning! Now come on, Marth said he'd meet us in the lounge!"

Zelda nodded, looked up at the fading stars once more as the sun started to rise, and then followed Samus out of their room, her mind still dwelling on her hero.

'_Please be careful, Link…I promise I'll stay safe here.'_

* * *

Link finished equipping his gear and tightened the straps for his belt and scabbard before finally putting on his floppy hat. But just as he started to leave, a familiar voice echoed in his mind, stopping him in his tracks.

'_I've seen that you've refined your techniques since the last time we met…'_

Sensing a presence behind him the Hylian spun around. He was surprised to find himself face-to-face with Mewtwo. The Pokemon nodded, continuing to stare at him with his arms crossed and his feet floating off the ground via his psychic powers.

"What do you want, Mewtwo?" Link asked in a neutral tone, careful not to let his guard down, as he still was unsure about the Pokemon, despite what Roy had said and the "dream" he had experienced.

'_I only came to warn you, Hero of Time. Ganondorf seeks the enchanted mask of the Fierce Deity you possess and he may try something today during or after your match to get it.'_

"He can't get to me here, though. He's still at Smash Mansion, right? And for one thing, how does he even know that I have the Fierce Deity's Mask, or even how does he know about it?" he asked, confused.

'_I cannot reveal to you how he knows of it; it would compromise my position as a spy in his ranks. I can only give you this warning, so heed my words. Be on the lookout for anything unusual…until we meet again, Link.'_

"But wait! I still have some questions!" yelled the Hylian, but Mewtwo was already gone in a brilliant flash of light.

He stood there, staring at the place where Mewtwo had teleported. He let out a slow sigh.

Checking his equipment one last time, he shut off the light and closed the door, locking it behind him. As he walked down the hall he realized that he was still holding the pictograph of himself and Zelda. Smiling to himself as he looked at the picture once more, he placed it inside a hidden pocket on the inside of his tunic and made his way through the futuristic hallways of the Great Fox towards the kitchen.

_

* * *

_

_The night before…_

The moonlight was the only source of illumination in Link and Marth's room, yet it was sufficient for Dark Link as he rummaged through Link's closet, tossing clothes and equipment behind him as he continued searching.

'_How much stuff does this guy have!?'_ Dark Link wondered as an annoyed expression crossed his face. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath and looked through the window at the glowing moon. Calculating its position from when he had covertly slipped through the cracks of the window, he estimated that he had been searching for at least five hours. The rest of the room was in shambles, as he had already searched everywhere else. The closet would be the place he would find what he was looking for, if it was even here to begin with.

'_If I don't find that mask, Lord Ganondorf's going to have my head on a spike…' _he thought as he resumed searching, picking up his pace in case Link's friend Marth came back.

'_Why does he even need another mask anyways? He already has mask called Majora; shouldn't that be powerful enough for him? But wait, that mask said it needed its old minion back from the thief that had stolen it from him. The old man could've sent a squad of Moblins, or even one of those new Darknut creatures he keeps praising the Wizrobes for creating. But _NO_…he had to pick me of all his creations! Asshole…knows I can't stand work that requires actual work…damn, I have a really strong urge to shed blood right now! Oh that's it! When I get back there, I'm gonna take my sword and ram it so hard up his…' _

He stopped his childish ranting as he came across a large box. He took it out of the darkened closet and opened it. Inside was what had to be at least twenty-five different masks.

'_Finally!'_ he rejoiced in his mind as he grabbed the box, relieved that it wasn't too heavy for him to carry.

Before he could make his way out of the window, the doorknob started to turn. Surprised but still managing to keep his cool, he disappeared and blended with the many shadows cast down by the moonlight.

* * *

Marth Lowell walked in to the room, tired after a long night in town. But his adrenaline forced his senses to awaken as he saw the state of his dorm. Drawing his Falchion, he carefully walked through the room, his eyes scanning for any trace of the intruder. He noticed the crack in the window, but kept his senses honed for any signs of moment. For a moment he thought he saw a glowing pair of bright red eyes, yet when he blinked they disappeared.

He stood there, eyeing the corner for a moment, until a sharp pain suddenly erupted from the back side of his head. His world went dark as he fell forward on his face, dropping his Falchion as he faded into unconsciousness.

* * *

Dark Link stood above Marth, bringing the hilt of his sword back to his side as he watched the Altean lose consciousness. He turned his victim over to see his face, and for a moment he started to raise his sword above his head to finish him, but he stopped as he thought it through.

'_No, if I kill him now it might cause an uproar. The Smashers would get suspicious and it would be much harder for the master to carry out his plans. Not that I would care much, but I honestly don't feel like enduring another torture session like the one I had when I lost to Link in the Water Temple…'_

He gritted his teeth in anger at the thought while sheathing his sword and picking up the box of masks once again. There was no need to kill him anyways; he got what he came for. He smirked at Marth's unconscious figure.

"You're lucky I can't kill you yet…but soon you and all your friends will fall before my master's might, and that of his new allies. Mark my words; I'll kill you personally someday, you and your friend Link. It's the dawn of a new age, an age ruled by shadow!"

He took a moment to spit on Marth's face, and then proceeded to jump out the window, leaving the unconscious prince alone in the destroyed dorm.

'_I hate the people of this world, can't wait to get rid of them all…'_ he thought bitterly as he rushed towards the Lost Woods, and ultimately making his way towards Ganondorf's hidden castle.

**Whew, this one took me awhile due to some major writer's block on my part! I rewrote the last half of this chapter about three times until I came up with what you have just read. With any luck, the next chapter won't take as long as this one, but I don't think it will. But I wouldn't expect the next chapter until, at the earliest next week, as I have a few projects to work on before the start of my vacation! But if you're curious as to my status, check my author profile out once in awhile for the status of this story, as I try to update it regularly. Hopefully I'll be able to finally do that one shot I've been saying for ages that I would do. I thank my loyal readers and reviewers for their continuing support (especially BKP, Sage, crystalicios, and Royal Kenya), like always! Well tell me what you think about the story so far, things I could improve on, and what you think will happen later on in the story in a review. I'm always open to suggestions and constructive criticism, but please don't flame. Okay, well thanks like always for reading everyone and please review! **

**Author's Note 4/16: Finally! The document uploader is working again! Sorry for the delay in putting the chapter up guys, but the document manager was giving me a hard time. **


	22. Chapter 22: Calm Before the Storm

**NOTES:**** Okay, this lack of updating chapters for this story on my part really needs to stop! But I did finally find time to submit a one-shot! It's called Echoes of the Twilight, and it's basically Link's reflections on the end of Twilight Princess (I won't say anything else, for those of you who don't want anything spoiled because you haven't played TP yet. If you haven't and you're a Zelda fan, I seriously recommend you do so soon!). Anyways, the plot is getting thicker and thicker now, and hopefully I'll reach the halfway mark of this story soon (don't know when that will be…especially with my horrible updating habits). Thanks like always to all my reviewers, as your valuable input is always appreciated. Alright, let's get going!**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Super Smash Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Metroid, or any other series of games that I've mentioned so far. They all belong to Nintendo, and only this story, its contents, and its title are mine. So yeah, I don't own a whole lot.**

**Chapter 22: Calm before the Storm**

'_Outer space…it's so quiet…'_

The various stars and distant planets shined like diamonds as newly proclaimed Emperor Andrew Oikonny viewed them from the command bridge of his flagship, _Simian's Wrath_.

As he stared out toward the stars, memories started to flood into his mind. His uncle had been the mad scientist known as Andross, who attempted to take over the Lylat System over ten years ago. During that time, Oikonny had been a member of the mercenary team Star Wolf. Together with lizard Leon Polwalski; a notorious assassin and torturer, Pigma Dengar; a greedy pig and former member of Star Fox who was responsible for James McCloud's death on Venom; and Wolf O'Donnell, the leader of Star Wolf and a notorious scoundrel. They were given orders personally by Andross to eliminate the Star Fox team, which had resurfaced once again with Fox McCloud as its leader.

Following in his father's footsteps, Fox had become an ace pilot and gathered together his friends Slippy Toad and Falco Lombardi, along with his father's best friend Peppy Hare, who was a member of the original Star Fox. Together they liberated the planets and sectors of the Lylat System that had been taken over by Andross' forces. Along the way, they faced not only many of Andross' minions, but also the Star Wolf team.

_**12 years ago...**_

"_Okay, so that's the plan. We're entering the atmosphere of Fortuna now and they still don't know we're here yet. So far our forces on the ground have managed to keep them busy long enough to arm a bomb so that those Cornerian fools can't claim the base. We just have to keep them busy long enough for the bomb to go off. Understood?"_

Andrew flicked his acknowledgement light on in his Wolfen after Wolf finished speaking. After checking his laser recharge levels, he noticed that they had just broken though the atmosphere. The faint traces of a battle could be seen being waged below, and now the four craft were in range to pick up on team Star Fox's communications_._

"…_bomb has been planted at the base," _said the mechanical voice of some robot over the radio.

"_Form up, maximum G-Diffuser output," _said Wolf over the private channel. Andrew hit the throttle and took off with the rest of the team, heading straight towards the unsuspecting members of Star Fox.

"_Jeez, can anyone take care of it?" _said Fox.

"_Can't let you do that, Star Fox!" _cried Wolf as his team came out of the sun, completely surprising the others.

"_Andross has ordered us to take you down," _said Leon.

"_Peppy! Long time, no see!" _said Pigma in a mocking tone of voice.

"_Andross' enemy is my enemy!" _said Andrew as he and the other members of Star Wolf accelerated to attack.

"_Pigma, go after that old fogey Peppy. Leon, you're our best pilot so take out Lombardi. Andrew, chase down that cowardly toad. McCloud is mine!" _said Wolf over their private channel. Acknowledgement lights flickered green across his board as he went after Fox.

Andrew spotted and went for Slippy immediately. For a member of a supposed "elite" team, this guy wasn't too good of a pilot. Andrew easily got a lock on the Arwing, and started firing away at it.

"_Stick to the pond, froggy!" _he taunted over the radio.

"_Fox, get this guy off me!" _Slippy shouted over his own radio.

'_Fox isn't gonna save you…he's too busy dealing with Wolf…' _thought Andrew with glee as he held down the triggers. Laser after laser connected with the back of Slippy's ship, sparks flying everywhere. Slippy continued attempting barrel rolls to deflect the shots, but he couldn't quite perfect them long enough to be effective. He started to panic as his shields failed.

"_I'm coming Slip!" _Fox shouted, ditching his own dogfight with Wolf as he performed a quick U-turn.

"_Andrew watch your six, I'm trying to take care of this pup quickly, but he moves too damn fast!" _said Wolf over the radio, his frustration leaking into his voice.

Andrew yoked the joystick into a roll while continuing his assault on Slippy. His radar showed Fox's Arwing almost on top of him as laser blasts came from behind.

'_No…I won't disappoint my Uncle…I'm going to defeat you all!' _he thought with fiery determination, but a large explosion erupted from the backside of his ship and knocked him off course.

His shields suddenly failed as laser shots pierced the hull and he lost control, sparks flying everywhere. His ship went into a death spin toward the ground of Fortuna. Wolf tried to say something over the radio, but Andrew couldn't hear him as he continued to press the eject switch. Nothing happened as his cockpit viewscreen shattered.

"_UNCLE ANDROSS!!" _he shouted as his ship exploded.

* * *

'_I still can't believe I managed to escape with my life. We encountered Star Fox a second time on Venom, but we were all defeated once again by them despite the fact that we had newer ships. After my Uncle died, I left the team and took control of the remaining forces loyal to him. We tried to stage a rebellion on Fortuna many years later after we gained strength, but again we lost to Star Fox! ARGH! Somehow I survived once again until my forces found me. Well, this time my plan is foolproof. I'll finally get revenge for my Uncle and defeat that insolent vulpine once and for all!'_

He chucked to himself briefly, but his thoughts were interrupted when a gruff voice spoke behind him.

"Emperor Oikonny, sir?"

The ape turned around to see one of his ruffians facing him at attention, straight as a board. Oikonny dismissed his gesture with a wave of his hand.

"At ease, Admiral. What's our current status?"

"Sir, we're close to Venom's outer defense zone, Area 60. So far, it seems our fleet has been undetected. There's some civilian craft in the vicinity, but they have yet to notice us. However our radar's detecting a medium-sized Cornerian Navy fleet patrolling the atmosphere and inner perimeter of the planet. _Destroyer_ and _Dreadnaught_ class ships, by the looks of it. Our scouts have confirmed that there's a large number of anti-air missile batteries and turbolasers set up around the capital city, but we can't determine exactly how many."

"Your scouts have done well. Are our forces prepared for the attack?"

"Yes, ninety percent of our forces are ready for combat, awaiting your orders sir."

"Excellent, Admiral. Oh, and one last thing: have your scouts found the location of the Great Fox yet?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes sir, it's currently being used for a Smash Bros. battle that began not long ago. The Star Fox team is patrolling the outer perimeter and sometimes firing at the combatants as instructed by officials. They're unaware of our presence."

"Deploy all stealth squadrons first, and jar the enemy awake. They may use a decoy if necessary. Then unleash all of our forces on their Fleet, and have ground troops standing by and ready for action. Eliminate anyone that dares to stand in our way!"

"Yes sir!" the Admiral exclaimed, giving a quick salute and walking towards the Comm. Station to relay orders to the other capital ships. Oikonny turned back to the viewscreen and stared at his late Uncle's former home. He would retake it and revive the once glorious empire of Andross.

'_And then, I'll take over the Lylat System by storm and revive my Uncle! With a little help from my new partners, that is…'_ he thought with an evil smile.

* * *

Fox used his reflector to deflect an arrow before unleashing a fury of blaster shots. Link backflipped in the air and landed on the top of the Great Fox, the wind threatening to throw him off. But he held his ground, putting his Hero's Bow away. The crowd watching from below was cheering them both on.

"And another near miss for Link! Fox McCloud seems to have the upper hand right now but both combatants are matched well against each other!" said the announcer over the loudspeakers littered across the large Venomian canyon. Both of them had one stock left out of five, and the match had already been waging for about a half hour.

"Getting tired Fox?" Link asked with a small grin.

The mercenary panted a little, but returned the grin. "Sorry, but I'm still standing. You're gonna have to give it your all if you hope to beat me Link!"

Link smiled, drawing the Master Sword and his Mirror Shield once again. He had used it many times so far, reflecting Fox's blaster attacks off of its gleaming surface.

'_I knew this thing would come in handy! Now I'm glad I brought so much equipment with me. I'll have to tell Zel that it pays to lug around so much!_' he thought with a slight smile. His thoughts drifted to his princess for a moment, and he started once again to miss her.

'_No, I can't think about her right now. I have a match to win!' _

Even though he didn't let it show, Fox was indeed overcome with fatigue. His muscles and ligaments were all sore and being pushed to the limit, but he refused to give up. He couldn't lose now, not with his team watching. Besides Falco would rub it in his face after.

His thoughts shifted to his team, whose Arwings were now forming up alongside their flagship. His eyes wandered to Krystal's Arwing where he caught a brief glimpse of her in the cockpit. She waved at him, and then broke into a roll as she and the others flew off to set up for another attack run.

'_Man, I'm so lucky to have a girl like her. She's been my biggest supporter all along now, even devoting much of her free time to earning money for the team. No wonder why I love her so much…but there's more time for that later. Best to stay focused on the fight at hand.' _

He rushed towards the top wing while Link jumped down to face him, bringing his sword to bear. Fox came in with a roundhouse kick, but Link knocked it away with his shield and unleashed a vertical strike. Fox rolled backwards and tried a Fox Illusion attack. Not expecting it Link was knocked back, hitting the titanium plating of the ship hard. His instincts kicked in and he rolled forward, just as Fox threw an exploding capsule. He snapped his fingers when it missed and looked around for something else to help him win. His eyes spotted a Super Scope and he ran for it immediately. Link saw what he was doing and shot a few arrows from his Hero's Bow to prevent him from using it.

'_Fox is dangerous with that weapon! If he gets to it…'_

But Fox had already gotten there, and in one single movement he brought the Super Scope to bear, the sight directly aligned with Link's head. Without any hesitation he fired, unleashing a barrage of golden shots.

The Hero of Time tried his Mirror Shield, but it did little to protect him from the shots. His arm tired, and he let down his guard just enough that the shots knocked his shield back. The shots pierced through him, raising the damage level on his damage counter. He could do little as the shots pelted through his body.

'_Egh…I can't move…'_

The shots abruptly ceased and Fox tossed the gun away, the ammo count down to zero. Link struggled to rise but Fox rushed him with another Fox Illusion, knocking him clear off the edge. Trusting his equipment, Link shot out his Hookshot which latched on to the lower wing. It pulled him towards the ledge as he grabbed on. Fox dropped down to the edge and rushed over to it, watching Link struggle to rise up again.

"It's been a good fight pal, but I'm taking the win today!" he proclaimed. He aimed his blaster at Link's head.

"Don't…be…so…cocky!" Link said as he found enough strength to pull himself up and knock Fox backwards, causing his blaster to go off in the air as he dropped it. Before he could get his bearings Link was already there with a running slash. Fox jumped back and launched forward again, fists clenched. Swords, punches, and kicks connected as the two fought. Fox attempted a grab but Link leaped back and threw his boomerang. The hit knocked the mercenary off-balance in a daze, long enough for Link to use his Hookshot. Fox broke the lock though and kicked the Hylian back.

He noticed a crate next to him, and decided to break it. To his surprise, a Super Mushroom flew out and landed on him. He felt his legs, his torso, and the rest of his body grow bigger as he increased in size. Fox could only stare in awe as Link grew ten times his natural size, causing the Great Fox to lean slightly to the left with the added weight.

"Now I've got the upper hand!" shouted Link in a booming giant's voice as he swung his enlarged Master Sword, hitting Fox with ease. Somehow the mercenary managed to stay on the Great Fox, but still he could do little to stop the giant Link. He fired his blaster, but the shots merely deflected off of his enormous Mirror Shield. In a last ditch effort, he attempted a Fire Fox. Link was covered in flames and took some more damage but the attack still didn't stop him from grabbing onto Fox with his large Hookshot.

The Cornerian struggled, but he was thrown off the stage far enough that he couldn't use his Fire Fox or his Fox Illusion. Link watched on silently as he shrunk back to his original size.

'_Damn, he won again! And I was so close too!'_ thought Fox in anguish as he plummeted towards the bottom. Fortunately he was caught by the Melee system before he hit the harsh Venomian soil.

"Game!" the announcer bellowed.

* * *

'_Ohh…my head…what happened?'_

"Look, he's starting to wake up!"

"I told you he was just unconscious. His pulse was pretty strong."

Darkness was pierced by beams of sunlight as Marth opened his eyes, pain obscuring his vision. He could faintly make out two figures looming over him. He tried to rise, but one of the figures held him down.

"Hey, take it easy Marth. You've been out awhile, man" said what sounded like Roy's voice.

His thoughts were confirmed when the looming figures of Roy, Samus, Peach, and Zelda came into focus. He shook his head again until things were clearer and managed to sit up.

"Guys, what happened? Why are you all in here?" he asked.

"We were hoping you could tell us that. Me and Zel were walking down to the lounge to watch Link and Fox's match when Roy came scrambling down the hallway, saying that you were hurt and your room had been ransacked" said Samus.

Memories of the night before came flooding back into his mind.

"Wait, now I remember. I heard someone in here so I drew my Falchion. From the shadows I thought I saw a pair of red eyes. They disappeared, and then I felt something hit the back of my head. Everything else is a blur."

Roy pondered this, wondering who it could have been. The door had been open when he found Marth, and the only thing wrong besides the huge mess was that the window was open. Obviously someone must have broken in.

"Do you know what they were after?" asked Roy as he helped Samus lift Marth onto his feet.

"No idea, but I guess they didn't find whatever it was since everything appears to be here..."

"I already told Master Hand about this, and he's sending out Wire Frames to scout out the areas around the Mansion. He says he'll cover the damage costs." said Samus with a slight grin.

This didn't help Marth much though. Something still didn't seem right to him.

'_Why would someone break into my dorm? I could see if things were missing, but all of my stuff's still here from the looks of it. Unless…'_

"Guys, is Link's stuff all accounted for as well?" asked Marth in curiosity.

Zelda looked away for a moment, but came back to meet his gaze.

"No, his box of masks is missing and much of his equipment's been destroyed. Luckily he took most of it with him on his trip. I'm so worried now, what if the intruder found what he was looking for?"

"Apparently he did, because he sure left in a hurry. And I don't think this is some simple burglary either. Do you all know if Link's okay?" asked Marth.

"We haven't spoken to him, but we just saw him win against Fox on Venom. He's not answering the communicator I gave him, so I can't contact him unless I can contact Fox on his ship," said Samus.

"Keep trying Samus! If Link was the real target then he has to be warned. Come on!" shouted Roy as he sprinted out of the room with the others in tow.

* * *

Emperor Oikonny was observing Venom and the distant lights of spacecraft and cities when someone tapped him from behind.

"My lord, you have an incoming message. Should I patch it though?" he asked with a slight trickle of fear in his voice.

"Yes, send it through to my quarters, I'm heading there now. Admiral, you're in charge while I'm gone," he said to his second in command as he walked off, not even glancing.

After heading down a long hallway and taking the elevator, he walked inside a dark room where a life-sized hologram of Ganondorf appeared, waiting patiently yet hiding the frustration apparent in his eyes. Oikonny bowed quickly before continuing on.

"What is it, my Master?" he asked.

"Emperor Oikonny, I have some additional instructions for you before you initiate your attack. One of my servants broke into Smash Mansion last night to retrieve something valuable to our cause, but it wasn't there. It's believed that my nemesis Link is carrying it on his person. If your forces encounter him, I want them to retrieve a mask called the Fierce Deity's Mask. Under no circumstances is he to be killed, or else I'll personally have your head mounted on my front door. He should be in the company of that Star Fox team you detest so much. Is that understood?"

"Yes Master, as you wish." said Oikonny as the hologram vanished. This would hinder some of his plans but if Lord Ganondorf wishes it, it must be done. He started to walk back to the command bridge, when three shadowy figures approached him from behind.

"What do you want us to do right now?" the tallest figure asked.

"I want all three of you standing by at your ships. If the Star Fox team makes it through our armada and vanquishes most of our forces, I'll have the three of you personally take care of them. Until then, wait for my orders!"

The lead figure suddenly grabbed Oikonny by the scruff of his neck, hoisting him up to eye level. The figure bared his sharp teeth.

"Just so we're clear with one another I don't trust you, and me and my team aren't just some scumbags like your men to be ordered about like mindless zombies. Like Pigma, you used to work for me. Remember that! The only reason why I haven't killed you yet is because my team is receiving quite a hefty sum from your boss for taking out Star Fox. I have a personal score to settle with McCloud regardless, and no one is going to stand in my way!"

He threw Oikonny against the steel plated corridor, glaring at him until he and his team left, disappearing back into the shadows. Oikonny stood up slowly, coughing. Anger seethed throughout his body for a moment, but he cooled off and resumed walking towards the bridge.

'_He's never respected me at all! If he was under my Uncle Andross' regime again he would never dare to speak out of turn like that! Oh well, unlike them I'm not ruled by the promise of money, only power! Star Fox, either way you're the ones who are going to lose in the end!' _

**In case you're wondering, yes for space stuff I do use some Star Wars terminology, like for ship classes and stuff like that. I know, short chapter but the action's gonna be intense next chapter. Oikonny's launching an invasion on Venom and only the Star Fox team and Link can stop him! Will Venom fall? Find out next chapter, which should be up soon as I have already begun writing it and have half of it done. I want to get as many chapters out as possible before summer is over. Okay, well thanks like always to my readers and reviewers. Without you guys I wouldn't have a story right now. Please review!**


	23. Chapter 23: The Invasion of Venom

**NOTES:**** …YES, I'M FINALLY BACK! I apologize for the long wait, but life has once again been getting in the way. In order to get my college stuff done (which was worth it, since I got accepted to where I wanted to go!), I had to put this story on hold along with all of my other activities so that I could get ready to send applications and do well on my second SAT attempt. Well, after that every time I tried to go back to this story when I had a free moment, writer's block and laziness prevented me from writing. It's been hard trying to go on knowing that I needed to get back to writing fan fiction eventually, and it's torn at me every day. But here I am, at it again and hopefully to stay for a long time to come. Anyway, enough about me: I'm sure you're all just anxious to find out what happens next (if you remember the story that is…). The next two or three chapters should hopefully finish up this arc, and then maybe I'll finally be able to get back on track here. (5 months ago I found time to outline the actual plot, so maybe now I'll be able to finish faster!) Oh, just a side note, this is a Melee fic and not a Brawl one. Even though Brawl is awesome (been playing it nonstop!), the inclusion of any of its characters at this time would just make the plot more complicated (although if I need another fighter or two, I may use some of Brawl's, although I would not like to). Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's get started.**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Super Smash Bros, The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Metroid, or any other franchise mentioned in this story. They all belong to Nintendo, and Super Smash Bros. is also owned by HAL Laboratories. If I owned these games, I would not be here right now and instead would probably be in Kyoto, Japan making lots of money! But sadly that isn't the case. (Sigh…)**

**Chapter 23: The Invasion of Venom**

Lieutenant Jacobs of the small Cornearian _Dreadnaught_-class cruiser _Reclaimer_ sat at his post, monitoring various navigation equipment and radars. The round circles below the orange and black-striped tiger's eyelids hinted at a lack of sleep, but regardless he continued monitoring for anything suspicious.

A few days ago Cornerian Intelligence had warned of a possible attack by malicious forces, most likely from whatever remained of Andross' former fleet; no more a threat now then common space pirates since the Aparoid Wars. The Cornerian Navy, not taking any chances decided to position a moderately sized battle group in orbit around Venom, but so far nothing had been reported.

'_This is more like babysitting than protecting...'_ thought Jacobs with a frown of discontent as he sipped his coffee. Nothing like caffeine to keep you awake for more than 20 hours straight.

A sudden pulsating of the radar interrupted his thoughts. He swiveled his chair to face the radar where he saw a single blue dot appear as out of nowhere. He detected the remains of a warp gate dissipating, quickly realizing where the craft had come from.

It was unmarked and slowly approaching the fleet surrounding Venom. Its size was too large for a mere civilian ship, maybe a small freighter but it was too far to tell. Jacobs decided to call his superiors immediately; best they know about this right away.

"Sir! I got something on radar. There's no marking or any type of identification so I really don't know what it is. Should I hail them?"

Admiral Vicks, a prestigious veteran of many battles and the one canine you'd want in any strategic engagement or defensive, walked swiftly from the captain's chair to Jacobs' monitoring station. He stared at the screen, watching as the dot continued toward the fleet.

"Hail them, Lieutenant. This is restricted space to civilians right now unless they have special clearance."

"Aye, sir."

Jacobs turned a few knobs and flicked some switches as he powered up his radio. "This is the Cornerian cruiser _Reclaimer_ hailing unidentified ship. This is a restricted area, turn back now unless you have clearance. If you do, please transmit access codes now."

He waited a few moments but the freighter didn't respond. It continued on its course as before, maintaining a steady speed. Vicks frowned as over Jacobs/ shoulder he watched the ship maintain its original course.

"Send them a clear warning, Lieutenant. If they continue towards this planet then we'll arm weapon systems."

Jacobs nodded as he tried once again. "Repeat, this is the Cornerian cruiser _Reclaimer_ hailing unidentified freighter. If you continue on your present course we shall be forced to open fire. Turn back now or transmit clearance codes now!"

But the ship continued on, not slowing down. It was now only about 2,000 kilometers from Venom. It breached the first line and continued on its way.

"Lieutenant Nichol, arm missile pods six though twelve," ordered the Admiral as he made his way back to his seat, calling up his personal viewscreen.

"Tracking sir...freighter is within range and pods are ready," Nichol said as he calibrated the targeting. He had a solid lock.

"Fire!"

Six anti-warship archer missiles erupted from various pods on the _Reclaimer_, streaking toward the unidentified ship. Even with six missiles heading its way, it refused to evade. The missiles struck it directly, destroying it in a brilliant flash of fire.

"Status report!" ordered the Admiral.

"Sir, unidentified freighter destroyed...wait. Sir, I scanned the craft for lifesigns shortly before it was destroyed since it was acting so erratically. Sir, there _were_ no life signs!"

'_A decoy ship. But for what?'_ thought Vicks as he stared where the ship had once been.

A sudden explosion from starboard rocked the _Reclaimer_ like an earthquake; alarms were ringing and lights were flashing red everywhere. Vicks quickly got to his feet and was in awe at what he now saw. He didn't even think of asking for a damage report there were so many.

"Sir, multiple enemy contacts! Stealth ships by the looks of them! Scanners are showing over 300 frigates and cruisers exiting various warp gates farther away!" yelled Jacobs, his hands trembling in fear as he made various adjustments to his scanners and radar.

"They're launching fighters and powering up their weapons! I'm also detecting ground troop transports heading straight for Venom!"

"Get me a damage report on the _Reclaimer_, and send out orders to the rest of the fleet to engage the enemy at will. Make sure none of those dropships get though the last line and launch all fighter squadrons. Send a message to Venomian Command; tell them to prepare for a ground assault and to evacuate the civilians!"

"Aye, Admiral!" the crew said as the entire bridge of the _Reclaimer_ hurried about their tasks while Admiral Vicks continued to gaze out the viewscreen, plotting the fleet's next move.

'_One minute everything's fine, the next minute all hell breaks loose. God almighty...'_

* * *

The bridge of the _Great Fox_ started to come to life once again as all systems rebooted and the engines warmed up.

"Hey Slippy, we ready to go now?" asked Fox from the captain's chair.

"_Yeah Fox, we have enough fuel cells left to get back to Smash Mansion. Sorry about shutting down all systems but I had to make sure I didn't blow us up when tinkering with the engines. Anyways, they're fixed now so you can lift off whenever you're ready!"_

"Great, thanks Slip! We're lifting off immediately so we can get Link back to Smash Mansion, refuel the ship there, and then head for Corneria."

"_Okay Fox, you've got it!"_ said Slippy as Fox switched off his comlink. He turned back toward his laptop and typed in a few commands, initiating the liftoff sequence before he headed to the main doors. He glanced back briefly at ROB, who was typing in commands on a nearby maintenance computer.

"ROB, prepare for departure and program the navigational computer to head for Smash Mansion. I'll be in the lobby if you need me," said Fox as he left the bridge and headed for the lounge.

"Affirmative," ROB replied as he guided the _Great Fox_ out of the hanger bay into Venom's atmosphere.

* * *

Fox walked into the lobby and headed straight for the kitchen to get some dinner. Falco was watching F-Zero races on the widescreen TV, but Peppy wasn't anywhere to be found.

'_Eh, he's probably in his room; writing or reading old history books like usual.' _

Krystal was having some soup when Fox entered the kitchen. He grabbed a soda from the fridge and put a frozen dinner in the microwave. He sat down next to Krystal, giving her a quick peck on the cheek as he opened his soda.

"The engine's repaired and refueled now so we're all set. We're heading to Smash Mansion before Corneria; should be about a two day journey with no warp gates. Unfortunately Venom doesn't have their own warp gate system operational yet so we'll have to travel the old fashioned way," said Fox, sipping his soda.

"That's fine. That just means there's more time for us to relax..." said Krystal as she kissed him, taking his paw in her own. Suddenly an enormous explosion rocked the ship, nearly knocking them out of their chairs and signaling the alarms.

"_All members of team Star Fox report to the bridge immediately!"_ ROB's emotionless voice erupted over the loudspeakers as everyone in the lounge bolted for the bridge.

Fox and Krystal were the first ones on deck, and what they saw astounded them beyond words. The Cornerian fleet surrounding Venom was engaged in combat with a large enemy fleet of ships. Explosions and lasers surrounded the battle, and by the looks of it the Cornerian defense line was starting to break. Fox only managed to pry his eyes away from the viewscreen when a random beep erupted from the holopanel in the center of the deck.

"_Incoming message from Admiral Vicks. Shall I put him though?"_ asked ROB.

"Go ahead," said Fox as the image of Admiral Vicks appeared in the holopanel. The middle-aged bloodhound briefly saluted them before he spoke.

"Fox McCloud, I'm glad to see that you and your team are safe. We've encountered a large space force attempting to invade Venom. They used a decoy to take us off guard and then they struck as if from nowhere. So far, we've been able to hold them off but we've taken heavy losses. All Venomian ground troops have been mobilized to protect the civilians, but we cannot evacuate the planet without risking the lives of the civilians."

"What can we do to help, Admiral?" asked Fox in earnest.

"Star Fox team, my superior officer, General Pepper, has spoken quite highly of you and your skills. I'm asking for your assistance in both the space front and on the ground if the invasion force make it that far. Unlike some of the other officers around here I'm not ashamed to ask mercenaries of your caliber for help."

"Do we even know who we're fighting though? No point attacking an enemy we know nothing about," said Falco off-handedly as he continued watching the attacking ships. Vicks ignored the remark and continued.

"The insignia on the side of the ships points to Andross, but since he's dead the only other person we could think of is Andrew Oikonny. Apparently he survived the Aparoid invasion on Fortuna."

"Apparently..." muttered Fox in anger.

"Regardless, we've been able to locate the capital ship where Oikonny is directing his forces. He's a lot stronger than he was on Fortuna, so our lines have had a hard time targeting his ship. You, however, will probably have more success than us Star Fox."

"Okay Admiral, we'll back you up. Can your forces still hold the line until we get out there?" asked Fox.

"So far we can, but our shields are fading fast. My ship alone has taken severe damage, but we're still managing to hold on. Do you have a plan?"

"Yes, I think I do...just hold your position for now, we're coming!"

"You got it, McCloud. We'll help in any way we can but I can't guarantee much. Good hunting and good luck to you all."

The transmission cut off and Fox turned to face his team, all silent and looking to him for their orders. It always gave Fox pride to see his team so eager for action.

"Okay, so we know where Oikonny's flagship is, yet we can't get close enough to destroy it, right?" said Fox.

"Yeah, so if we can't get in close enough to demolish it with the _Great Fox_ or our Arwings, then how are we gonna destroy it? From the inside or something?" asked Falco.

Fox thought about the idea for a moment, a slight grin briefly showing on his face before he turned to face Slippy.

"Hey Slip, is there any way we can beam cargo aboard other ships from a distance?" he asked.

"Well Fox, it'd be difficult but if I can get the _Great Fox_ just close enough, I could possibly calibrate the teleporter to do that. Why?" asked Slippy, although everyone else already knew the answer. Krystal was the first one to protest.

"Fox, you can't seriously think of going by yourself! What if you run into more than just Oikonny and his ruffians on that ship? And even if you manage to wire the ship to explode, how will you escape? Steal one of their fighters? What if it turns out there aren't any left!" she ranted.

Fox simply smiled at her, never once forgetting how beautiful she looked whenever she was concerned or frustrated with him.

'_Heh, if we ever hope to get married, she's gonna have to learn to deal with me in times like this...'_

He shook his head, about to respond when someone else spoke behind him.

"He won't be alone, Krystal. Whether he likes it or not, I'm going with him."

Link stepped out from the shadows, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"I heard everything; you guys don't need to brief me on the situation. Relax Krystal, I'll go with him and make sure he comes back in one piece. Remember, we're Smashers! We can take on anything Oikonny can throw at us." Fox smiled slightly, nodding his head in agreement. He only had one term that Link had to meet before he would allow him to tag along.

"Link, one thing though. You don't know much about technology, so I'll have to handle the explosives, okay? But regardless of that, you're right. We're both Smashers, so we can take care of ourselves."

The Hylian nodded in agreement. Fox turned back toward his team, his leader mask on once again.

"Now, I want the rest of you in Arwings protecting the fleet and the _Great Fox_. Falco, you're the leader while I'm gone. If any ground transports make it to the surface, follow them and protect the civilians at all costs until they can board escape craft. Any questions?"

"Yeah, just one. What happens if you and Linky-boy fail?" asked Falco sarcastically.

"Then you'd better pray for a miracle, because by the looks of the hull plating on that ship it'll take more firepower than what we have to take it out," Fox said grimly.

* * *

Emperor Oikonny stood on the bridge of _Simian's Wrath_, eying the battle. So far the numbers were pleasing: over half of the Cornerian fleet was either destroyed and disabled, while not even a quarter of his own fleet had been damaged yet. None of his ground assault ships had landed on Venom yet, but it was only a matter of time until the final line of the Cornerian fleet was breached.

"My Emperor, I have some news for you," said the Captain, stepping toward his leader. Oikonny turned to face him.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Sir, we've detected the _Great Fox_. It's entered the battle and has launched Arwings; however, it isn't actively participating in the fight yet. Curiously, it hasn't powered up its weapons but it's moving this way. So far it's managed to stay just out of range of our turbolasers, but it will be in range shortly. Should I order all turbolaser batteries to fire upon it when it comes into range?"

Oikonny almost gave the order, but then reconsidered. Obviously the Star Fox team was up to something if they weren't attacking.

'_Hmm, this might be interesting...'_

"No, don't bother. By the looks of it they know they can't punch though the shields of this ship even with their main laser cannons. However, if they do decide to fire upon us, return fire immediately."

"Yes, sir!" said the Captain, snapping to a salute. Oikonny walked past him away from the viewscreen and headed back to the elevator.

" Keep me informed of their activities, Captain. I'll be in touch," he said as the doors closed in front of him.

The Captain nodded and went back to his station, monitoring the invasion's progress.

**This chapter's kind of a filler, I know but the real action will start up next chapter and it'll be non-stop until this arc finishes up! Will this plan of Fox's work or will certain things complicate matters? You'll just have to find out, won't you? Expect the next chapter sometime within the next few days or so, as I've already gotten though it and just need to edit it before it's posted. I promise never to leave as long as I did ever again, okay? Man, it feels so good to be back on here. Okay, anyways, thanks for reading, and reviews are always appreciated!**


	24. Chapter 24: Old Rivals

**NOTES:**** Okay, here's the next chapter. Need I say more? Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Super Smash Bros, The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Metroid, or any other franchise mentioned in this story. They all belong to Nintendo, and Super Smash Bros. is also owned by HAL Laboratories. **

**Chapter 24: Old Rivals**

"I know I'm gonna regret this..." muttered Link, mainly to himself as he and Fox sealed themselves inside separate crates. It had been a tight fit with his Mirror Shield and the Master Sword sheathed to his back, but somehow he managed to squeeze into the small cargo crate. He heard a distinct humming sound of working machinery emanate from outside, like the sound of a generator struggling to warm up after a lack of use. Slippy's voice abruptly came though the speakers.

"_Okay guys, here we go! ROB just informed me that we're within range. I gotta do this quick so we don't stay in the line of fire for too long, though. Most of the energy I'm using is being diverted from the shield reserves, so if we take a pounding for too long..."_

"Whatever Slippy, cut the chatter and just beam us aboard!" yelled Fox from inside his crate, a hint of impatience in his voice. He hated being in enclosed spaces for too long, especially pitch black spaces. Oddly enough though, being in the enclosed cockpit of an Arwing or Landmaster didn't bother him at all.

"_Okay, okay! Sheesh, just telling you guys what's going on. Don't have to get all snappy or anything."_

For a brief moment Link felt as if his body was being reduced into small cubes as the two crates disappeared in a flash of blue light.

* * *

A small impact on metallic flooring alerted Link that they were on solid ground again. Knocking his bow with an arrow, he kicked open the hatch and poked his head out into a large fluorescent cargo bay, expecting some guards. Instead, he found what could have been easily mistaken as a large warehouse. Various boxes and parts stacked to the ceiling towering above him, filling as much space as possible.

The box next to his busted open and Fox jumped out blaster in hand, searching the area briefly. He took a few deep breaths of fresh air, glad to be out of that crate. Link shook his head in amusement and sheathed his sword, also scanning the area.

"No reception committee?" Fox asked as he relaxed slightly, holstering his blaster.

"Apparently not. Guess these guys are used to receiving cargo, though," commented Link, gesturing to the looming stacks of crates around them. He noticed that most seemed like weapon crates, but a few could pass for foodstuffs and other various things.

"Good, we have the element of surprise then," commented Fox as he brought up his PDA. A digital map of the _Simian's Wrath_ materialized in front of him. Suddenly it disappeared and a map of each deck appeared. Two red dots appeared in the bottom floor as Link came closer to it, amazed.

"Goddesses, where can I get one of those? Beats the crappy maps I usually find," said Link with a grin.

"If you want I can have Slippy make one for you once the mission's over. Anyways, here we are in the cargo bay. Those doors over there," he gestured to their right at two purple doors, "will lead us to an elevator. The engine room's about three floors above us at the stern of the ship, so we can use the elevator to get us up there. Hopefully we won't run into many problems."

Link nodded as Fox switched his PDA off, taking out his blaster again as he walked toward the double doors, Link following close behind.

* * *

"_Watch it Falco! You've got three bogeys on your six!"_

Falco jerked his joystick to starboard, pulling off a sharp turn to evade the crimson laser fire behind him. His radar confirmed Krystal's warning: three fighters right on his tail, not letting up on their fire at all.

He maneuvered around a few of Oikonny's capital ships, hoping that their turbolaser fire would accidentally catch one of his pursuers. He did a few barrel rolls to deflect any stray laser fire but his pursuers weren't so lucky.

He boosted away from the three small explosions behind him, blasting away at any of Oikonny's fighters he saw as he regrouped with the rest of his team.

"Star Fox team, report in!" he exclaimed, avoiding more laser fire as he destroyed a stealth ship, taking it apart piece by piece before it was destroyed in a fiery explosion.

"_Krystal here. I've taken some damage on my port side wing, but other than that everything's still functioning normally."_

"_Slippy reporting in. Fox and Link are on Oikonny's flagship now, so I'm joining the group now. Everything's green across the board, by the way."_

"Good, hopefully they'll be done soon. Till then guys, we need to help keep these fighters off the capital ships," said Falco.

"_Great Fox is joining the other cruisers defending Venom. Sorry everyone, but I can't cover you. You'll mostly be on your own from here on out,"_ said Peppy.

"That's fine. Scrap my earlier plan; Star Fox team, let's penetrate the enemy's lines and give Link and Fox some cover!"

Two acknowledgement lights blinked green in the corner of his viewscreen as he switched off the radio. He sighed to himself as he watched the battles around him.

'_Man, all this time since I first joined I've been waiting to lead the Star Fox team myself. Now that I'm actually doing it though...well I just feel so unprepared. Man, I don't know how Fox does it sometimes.' _

"_Two more enemies on your six, Falco!"_ said Peppy over the radio as he felt two lasers pierce through his shields. He swore as he broke into a dive, evading more of Oikonny's capital ships. Turbolaser fire started being directed towards him as he passed various cruisers, avoiding increasing volumes of laser fire. He swore again as his Arwing grazed the tip of a laser blast.

"_Do a barrel roll!"_ yelled Peppy.

"Whatever..." Falco said as he shut off the radio.

'_Doesn't that old fart realize how annoying that is? God, he never shuts up!'_

* * *

Link sliced through another foe while Fox shredded through the two remaining ruffians with his machine gun as they ran down the narrow hallway, searching for the last elevator.

Blaster fire met them as they rounded the next corner. Link brought up his Mirror Shield quickly in defense while Fox activated his reflector. It absorbed a few hits before dying completely. Fox cursed and continued firing, evading blaster fire.

"Quick, back around that corner Link!" he yelled.

The two warriors doubled back around the corner they had rounded moments before as more lasers threatened to pierce their hides. Fox fired off more shots from his machine gun while Link covered him with his Mirror Shield, reflecting any stray shots back at the growing number of guards. Fox cursed as he ducked back behind the corner, slapping another magazine into his machine gun.

"Damn, there're just too many of them! I ran out of grenades when we blasted a hole through the last floor, and now I've just realized I have only one more magazine left for my machine gun. Not to mention my reflector's totally fried now, shit!"

Link nodded in reassurance, having used up most of his magic power. But suddenly he got an idea. A small smirk materialized on his lips.

"Cover me."

"Wait, what?"

Link gave no response as he attached a bomb to one of his arrows, making sure the rope was tight enough to hold it. He lit the fuse and knocked the arrow.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Just shut up and shoot!"

Link poked his head around the wall and aimed his bow while Fox fired off more rounds from his machine gun. The Hylian licked his lips as he locked on.

'_Three seconds till it explodes...'_

He let the arrow fly. Lasers continued hitting the wall as Fox fired at anything that moved.

'_Two seconds...'_

One of the soldiers stopped firing and pointed at the strange projectile. Link grabbed Fox and leaped behind the wall again.

'_One...'_

The lasers stopped firing completely.

Link was disgusted at what he saw, but ignored it as he approached the last elevator that led to the engine room. Fox stood where he was, flabbergasted. Realizing his partner wasn't there, Link turned around and saw Fox's face.

"What?" he asked.

"Uh, nothing. Just let me know sooner next time if you're gonna pull off something like that again."

Link shrugged as he boarded the elevator, Fox close behind.

* * *

'_Man, there's just no end to these guys!' _

Every time Falco got even close to Oikonny's flagship, he had to double back due to the turbolaser fire surrounding it. Falco had his team form up again behind the Cornerian capital ships.

"Crap, I can't even get close! Especially with all this turbolaser fire!"

"_I've taken some more damage, but somehow my ship's holding up,"_ said Slippy.

"That's actually surprising to me, Slip. Not to mention you haven't called out for help yet."

"_Yeah., well I've been spending some more time in the simulator, so..."_

"You know what? I don't care right now. Anyways, how's the fleet holding up Peppy?"

"_Unfortunately we've lost over half the fleet. But the good news is that the enemy's down to their last line of defense. At this rate, we actually might be able to win!"_

"Good, keep at it. How're you holding up Krystal?"

All Falco heard was static from her end.

"Uh, Krystal?"

Still no response. Falco glanced over at her Arwing, but couldn't see through the cockpit window.

"Krystal, you okay over there?"

Suddenly Krystal's voice screamed through the radio.

"Everybody scatter! Now!"

All three ships boosted away from where they were, when a nova bomb went off. Falco glanced back at where he was a moment ago, his heart in his chest.

"Is everyone okay?"

Two acknowledgement lights winked green on his viewscreen. The avian breathed a sigh of relief and turned around again to look at the site where the bomb had detonated.

'_Where did that bomb come from?'_

Alarms started blazing in his cockpit as blast after blast hit his shields. The last blast ate through them and scorched his hull. Falco cursed and accelerated toward the source of the lasers. Three Wolfens came blazing out of Venom's sole sun. Falco's radio burst to life.

"_If I were you Star Fox, I'd count my blessings that we sent that bomb as a warning." _

"Great, as if I didn't need any other problems, Star Wolf shows up..." muttered Falco as he turned to face the incoming Wolfens, Slippy and Krystal regrouping with him as they charged together, lasers blazing.

"_Peh, you fools are as pathetic as ever. I wonder sometimes why we even consider you guys our rivals. Especially you, Falco."_

"Shut it, Leon. If it's a fight you want, we'll give you one!"

Krystal's Arwing started a dogfight with the only Wolfen marked with a rose. Falco didn't guess to know who that was.

"_Ah, despite the chaos love manages to bloom on the battlefield, eh Krystal?"_

Falco heard Krystal mutter something incoherent under her breath.

"_I've already told you Panther, I'm not interested. Fox is the only one for me!"_

Panther Corosco snickered, playing with a rose in his paw as he tracked Krystal's Arwing. _"Awh...how touching..." _he mocked.

_"Shut up, Panther. Anyways, speaking of that weakling Fox, where is he? I have a score to settle with that pup, not to mention a reward to collect for his hide once this is all over."_

Falco performed a somersault and got Leon Polwalski in his sights, but the lizard pulled off a sharp U-Turn before Falco could fire off any shots.

"So you're all working for Oikonny, then? Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"_Yeah, but not because we're buddies or anything. Believe me, I'd toast that double-crossing asshole right now if I got the chance, but we're all being paid handsomely for eliminating you all. Now I'll ask nicely one more time, Lombardi: Where is Fox?"_

Falco gritted his teeth as his ship absorbed more laser fire from Leon's Wolfen.

"I don't know, why don't you ask Oikonny? Link and Fox should have found him by now."

"_He better not have, because if he doesn't show up in the next ten minutes I'm killing you all! He's the only one worthy enough to fight me, and he knows it. His team will pay the price if he decides to be a coward!"_

Falco cursed to himself and switched off his radio. Hopefully, Fox is hearing this.

_'Dammit! With Leon all over me and Great Fox backing up the fleet, I can't do anything to help Slippy or Krystal! Fox, if you can somehow hear me, please get out here soon!'_

* * *

The gentle elevator music did little to ease the minds of the two Smashers that waited patiently as the elevator made its way up to the engine room. Fox stowed away the machine gun in his travel pack and brought out his trusty blaster instead, fully charged and ready for use. Link drew the Master Sword and his Mirror Shield, which so far had proved invaluable against the enemy's laser defenses.

'_Hmm, guess ancient weapons still stand a chance in the future...'_ Link thought silently to himself.

The duo prepared themselves as the elevator stopped and the doors slowly opened. Neither of them knew what to expect when those double doors opened.

"Engine Room, Level 3," the cool, female elevator voice said.

The doors slowly opened and already Fox had his blaster drawn, searching for any attackers while Link brought the Mirror Shield up in a defensive posture.

Immediately the two felt the heat of the engines, the generators spinning rapidly to accommodate for the ship's massive size. There were no technicians or robots around, not even one guard. Satisfied, the two slightly relaxed and ran across to the main generator, the largest one of the bunch. Fox set down his backpack and took out the C4 he had earlier, connecting the explosives together as Link watched with interest. Once finished with the wiring, Fox set the timer for thirty minutes before hitting the switch.

"There, that should give us enough time to grab a ship and get outta here before it explodes."

Link nodded and turned around to leave when he saw a blade heading straight for them.

"Move!" yelled Link as he pushed Fox out of the way, narrowly missing the blade as it circled around and returned to its owner. Link and Fox slowly rose from where they were and looked up to see a figure holding two crescent laser blades.

"Hmm, guess you're as quick as my master said, Link. Good, I always love a challenge!" He laughed as they rose, drawing their weapons.

"What happened, Oikonny? I thought you wanted to emulate your uncle! Last time I fought him he didn't like to use blades," Fox taunted as he charged his blaster. Oikonny gave him a death look before continuing.

"Say what you will, McCloud. Soon I'll rule the Lylat System and find a way to bring back my one and only emperor and uncle, Andross!"

"Shut it, Oikonny! Last I checked, our fleet was winning, especially now since my team is helping them out."

"Really..." Oikonny said with an evil smile as he keyed a few commands into his comlink, "...then perhaps you haven't had contact with them recently. Recognize who's fighting with them?"

Static filled the air briefly before voices could be heard over the radio.

"_...Falco, we can't keep this up! We need Fox here before Wolf kills us all!" _

Fox tensed when he heard an explosion and Krystal's scream of pain.

"_I know, but we've got to keep fighting these guys, or else they'll open a hole wide enough for Oikonny to invade Venom!"_ yelled Falco's voice amidst laser fire.

"_Stop your squabbling, Lombardi! I want McCloud out here now or else I'll kill each and every one of you. And if you're listening to this, McCloud, I'm giving you five more minutes before I kill your team members. So if you know what's good for you, I'd suggest you come join the party."_

"Hey boss, I lost that stupid toad. Where'd he go?"

"_Who cares? We still got Fox's girlfriend and best friend here, so keep firing at them. I mean it, five more minutes and then I'm through playing games!"_ yelled Wolf though the comm. channel.

Oikonny switched off the radio as Fox rolled his hands into tight fists. Oikonny erupted into more laughter.

"You see? I've got the upper hand here! As long as I can keep you here, there's nothing you can do to save them, Fox! Now, prepare to die!"

Fox moved to unsheathe Krystal's staff when Link put a hand up in front of him.

"Fox, I'll handle this guy. Get out of here and go save your team!"

Fox started to protest but closed his mouth and gave Link a brief smile in thanks. Link nodded as Fox made a run for it, running full speed toward the elevator doors. Oikonny tossed another one of his blades at the mercenary but it was knocked off course by one of Link's arrows as Fox disappeared inside the elevator.

Cursing, Oikonny retrieved his blade and brought them both to bear on Link. The Hero of Time readied the Mirror Shield and Master Sword in a ready stance. Oikonny brought his blades forward, sliding one off the other.

I hope you know what you're doing, boy. Thanks to my new master, I've gained powers far beyond anything my uncle Andross could have given me!"

Link swung the Master Sword in front of him before bringing it to rest behind him, holding his shield out.

"I don't care how powerful you think you are, trust me; you're nothing but small time compared to Ganondorf, whom I'm guessing is your new master."

Oikonny rushed at him, blades held high as Link ran at him with his sword and shield glimmering in the darkness of the engine room.

**Thankfully the next chapter will be closing off this arc. Yay! Then I can start something new with this story. At the same time I'm posting this chapter, I'm also posting a new story, which I will be working on at the same time I'm working on LAH. It's called Heart of Steel, so check it out if you're interested. With summer comes more time to write fan fiction, so expect more updates in the future. Thanks for reading like always and review if you can!**


	25. Chapter 25: Victors and Victims

**NOTES:**** Hey all, what's going on? I know, I updated, it's a freaking Christmas miracle! Okay, first off I'm REALLY sorry about the absurdly long delay. My first year of college took most of my energy, then during the summer in between working I have been experimenting with a few one-shots and working on my other SSB fic, Heart of Steel. Then the first semester of my sophomore year happened, and I had almost no time at all to even think about updating. **

**To be completely honest, during my time in college I lost almost all inspiration to both write and read, and almost retired completely as a gamer. It was depressing, but I had higher priorities that required my full attention. Fortunately, as of late I've felt my inspiration as a writer and reader slowly returning. I've changed a bit since I last updated and I've learned a few new things. You know, I was really hoping to finish this fic by the end of the summer before I went to college, but I guess you can't do everything. **

**Regardless, thanks again for the massive amounts of support I've been receiving from my readers and reviewers for this fic over the years. You guys remind me every time I receive a review or story add that my work is still appreciated, and it gives me even more motivation to keep going. Okay, here we go!**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I don't own Super Smash Bros, nor do I own the Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Metroid, or any other franchise described in this story. These fantastic series of games belong to Nintendo, and SSB also belongs to HAL Laboratories. Need I say more? **

**Chapter 25: Victors and Victims**

Admiral Vicks was pleased, at least for the time being. This small gaggle of what remained of Andross' followers was slowly being pushed back. Although they had taken his fleet by surprise and had managed to either eliminate or disable close to half of his forces, the Lylatian War veteran's quick strategic thinking and the skill of his men had been able to protect Venom and allow civilian shuttles and transports to flee to hyperspace without incident. On top of that, not a single enemy ground transport had managed to breach Venom's atmosphere. A small victory, but a reassuring one nonetheless.

The assistance from the Star Fox team had also managed to turn the tide in their favor, but currently they were being engaged by what looked like members of the outlawed Star Wolf team. For now, he couldn't do anything to assist them.

"Lieutenant Nichol, status report," Vicks asked from his captain's chair.

"Admiral, over fifty-five percent of the enemy forces have been eradicated or heavily damaged. The _Reclaimer_ itself has taken some damage; shields are at forty percent strength and slowly climbing. Luckily, we've had no hull breaches but some of our forward turbolaser batteries have been disabled."

"Okay then, move the ship to starboard and regroup with the rest of the fleet: we're going after that flagship, gentlemen." He gave a slight smile as he reclined in his chair, keying a few commands into the panels on the arm rests when Lieutenant Jacobs almost shot out of his chair.

"Admiral, incoming transmission from the outside! Shall I patch it through?"

"Who is it? Our comm. channels are secure, so it's obviously not civilian," he stated, almost to himself as a small smile came over Jacobs' face.

"You'll definitely want to hear from this one, Admiral. She's an old friend of ours who picked up on some of the emergency beacons from our disabled ships. We could probably use her help."

* * *

Fox rushed through the twisted halls of _Simian's Wrath_, heading for the warship's hanger and dispatching any soldiers he saw with his blaster. He didn't know how much time he had left before Wolf lost his patience and slaughtered his teammates, but what he did know was that he had to get out there fast. More explosions rocked the ship as he almost fell over, hitting his head on the wall. He groaned as he brought up his holographic map again, his position being shown just outside the hanger. He rushed through the blast door ahead of him and stepped into a wide, open hanger. He was surprised to see no spare Venomian fighters lying around. He pounded the wall in frustration.

'_Crap! Now what am I supposed to do…' _he growled to himself as he pounded the wall next to the door, gritting his teeth.

A sudden beeping from his wrist comlink answered his question. He gave a slight smile when he saw who was on the other end of the comlink's interface screen.

'_Talk about perfect timing…'_

* * *

Two seconds.

That's how long it took for Oikonny to reach Link, crescent plasma swords looking to decapitate the hero where he stood. By the time the ape had reached Link's position, the Hylian was already behind his foe, rolling safely out of harm's way with the Master Sword drawn and ready. He sent a vertical slash to where Oikonny's head should have been but only hit air as Oikonny did a flip of his own, letting one of his crescent blades fly out of his hand.

Link jumped and twisted in midair as he dodged the projectile, landing perfectly on his feet as Oikonny caught his returning blade in midair and charged once again at the hero.

The ape took the inside half of each blade in a pinscher-like fashion and attempted to snap Link's body in half, but came up short again as Link did yet another midair twist and rolled to Oikonny's backside. He countered with a rising slash as he leapt back onto his feet, but to Link's surprise, Oikonny somehow caught the attack with a blade behind his back.

He spun around to face Link and was immediately met with an incoming horizontal strike to his body. He lifted the brunt side of both blades together and caught the Master Sword, pushing on his blades in an attempt to cut the legendary blade in half.

'_What? Plasma doesn't cut through this kind of metal? That's impossible!' _

The Master Sword only glimmered brighter as Link pushed back with his full body weight. Oikonny finally broke the sword lock, using his left sword to push the Master Sword aside while he came at Link with his right. Realizing what was happening Link did a back flip, feeling a bit of Oikonny's sword cut through the backside of his tunic and burning the skin underneath.

He grimaced a bit but had no time to dwell on the pain as Oikonny immediately ran at the Hylian again, both crescent swords raised high. Link raised his Mirror Shield just in time, sending the force of Oikonny's own attack right back at him.

The former Star Wolf member flew against the back wall, hitting it with such force that one could almost see his body's impact spot clearly imprinted on the once flawless metal surface. He slid off the wall, falling flat on his face. Link looked over at his fallen foe, breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath. A slight chuckle escaped Oikonny as he picked himself up, leaning on one of his blades for support.

"Glad to see that the prestigious 'Hero of Time' is as powerful as Ganondorf emphasizes," he commented. Link resumed his fighting stance as he watched his foe regain his footing.

"However, that was just a warm-up. Now, let me show you just how powerful I really am. Behold! A gift bestowed upon me by the almighty Ganondorf!" he proclaimed.

A strange blue light surrounded him, engulfing his entire body. Link raised the Mirror Shield to protect his eyes from the blinding light, lowering it when it appeared to have stopped. What Link saw next was similar to something he had seen before in many of Ganondorf's grotesque minions.

No longer was Andrew Oikonny the weak, meager ape he once was. Instead, what stood in his place was a creature twice the size of Link holding two enormous plasma scimitars. Oikonny's fur color had darkened to a blood red color, matching the thirst for vengeance in his eyes. His teeth were sharper along with his claws, and the mass of his almost-completely naked body was made up of several tons of pure muscle. The beast let loose a thunderous roar as soon as he set his bloodthirsty eyes on Link.

'_This is definitely Ganondorf's handiwork all right…'_ he thought bitterly to himself, cursing the Gerudo King's name. Preparing himself for what he hoped would be a short battle as he glanced over at the timer to Fox's C-4 explosives, which now read twenty minutes, the Hylian hero readied the Master Sword and Mirror Shield before rushing at his opponent with a fierce battle cry.

* * *

Wolf O' Donnell continued to wait patiently inside of his Wolfen, his murderous left eye and robotic right studying the digital clock on his viewscreen carefully. McCloud had only one more minute to arrive before Wolf gave the order to the rest of Star Wolf to eradicate McCloud's team.

'_Hmm, guess he's not coming after all. Oh well, he'll regret it when he finds the remains of his team floating in Venom airspace…'_

His index finger inched closer to the button which would turn on his radio, mere centimeters away from grazing its smooth plastic surface when two rapid blasts hit his Wolfen from behind. A lone Arwing sped past his viewscreen, doing a few barrel rolls as it fired on the rest of Wolf's teammates, diverting their attention away from the rest of the Star Fox team. Wolf smirked as Fox's voice came over the loudspeaker.

"_You wanted me Wolf, I'm here! Now leave my team out of this, it's only between you and me from here on out!"_ Fox exclaimed as Wolf saw his Arwing do a U-Turn, heading back toward Wolf.

The ruthless mercenary grinned as he primed his Wolfen's G-Diffuser, rushing to meet Fox head on with his blasters blazing.

"Heh, I wouldn't want it any other way pup…"

* * *

Falco breathed a silent sigh of relief as he saw Fox's Arwing speeding towards Wolf's Wolfen, initiating a deadly dogfight. His relief was cut short however by another blast from Leon's Wolfen.

"_Don't think that just because Wolf's happy now that I'll let you off the hook that easily Falco. In fact, I think I'll torment you a bit longer before I cook you…"_ the lizard said with sadistic glee. Falco gritted his teeth as another blast rattled his Arwing. The shield readout on his viewscreen was dangerously low as he continued evading Leon's shots.

'_Damn, shields can't take much more…'_ he thought grimly. He was surprised when an explosion rocked his ship, yet it seemed to have come from his six. Oddly enough, Leon's Wolfen no longer appeared on his radar.

Out of the corner of his sharp peripheral vision he could have sworn that he saw the shadow of an amethyst _Omega_-class gunship, a _familiar_ gunship in fact…

"_Hey Falco, leave these scumbags to me! Gather your team and go for Oikonny's flagship, its shields are down!"_ Falco grinned in his cockpit as he relayed the message to Krystal and Slippy, who had at some point mysteriously rejoined the battle. All three pilots returned to a close formation as they boosted towards the _Simian's Wrath_, which was being bombarded with missile and turbolaser volleys from Cornerian cruisers.

"Nice to see you too, Aran…" Falco muttered with a small grin.

* * *

Link ducked as one of the creature's scimitars came at him and did a back flip as another scimitar landed where he had been mere seconds ago. His back was killing him from being on the receiving end of one of Oikonny's kicks, but he dared not stop moving as the beast's eyes continued tracking him, sending a scimitar at him every once in awhile. He summoned more of his dwindling supply of magic power as he fired several Light Arrows at the beast's face, each one hitting its mark but seemingly doing no damage. He rolled out of the way of another strike, panting heavily.

'_Dammit I'm not doing any damage! I didn't see a weak spot anywhere on his body, so what is he vulnerable to? Goddesses, I wish either Navi or Tatl was here right now…'_

He glanced at the timer on Fox's C4, which read twenty minutes and decreased every second he spent fighting. Link knew he was cutting it close; he'd have to finish this battle quickly if he wanted to make it out of the flagship alive.

The creature started to open its mouth as it breathed in, sucking in energy. Knowing what was coming from experience, Link started running again in a counterclockwise motion as he felt what appeared to be a fiery acidic substance being shot at him from behind. He heard it getting closer as he ran, trying to avoid the flames. Taking a risk, he leaped toward the monster that had been Oikonny and rolled between its legs. He briefly glanced at where its calves were as he regained his footing, a glint of white light catching his eye.

'_That's what I was looking for…'_

The beast spun around looking for Link as the Hylian sheathed the Master Sword, taking out his Hero's Bow again and readying a few Fire Arrows. He struggled to keep the flame on the tips ablaze as his poured the last of his magic energy into them, firing right at Oikonny's eyes. The beast howled in pain as the projectiles scorched its face as Link pulled out the Master Sword and the Mirror Shield, aiming horizontal cuts at both legs where the white lights shone.

Oikonny screamed in more pain as his legs gave out from underneath him, exposing the shining, bare part of his back to the hero. Link rolled to his right to avoid the creature as he pushed up from his shield and ran at the shining spot on Oikonny's back. He leaped into the air, thrusting the Master Sword downward as he struck the weak point, green blood exploding everywhere as Oikonny let out an agonizing howl. Link pulled out the Master Sword again and leapt off of the beast as it attempted to rise before falling once again, its scimitars deactivating as it took one last breath of life.

The Hero of Time did a quick flourish with his blade before sheathing it, reattaching his Mirror Shield to his sheath and bandolier in the process before running at the elevator doors, taking a quick glance at the digital readout of the timer, which now read less than ten minutes. The doors automatically opened for him as he pressed the descent, taking one last glance at the creature that had once been Andrew Oikonny as the doors closed, the elevator descending for the lower levels. Link crossed his arms as he stood patiently in the elevator, his mind troubled by what Oikonny had said about Ganondorf.

'_Now I definitely know something big is going on. If Ganondorf was able to influence, let alone make contact with beings in our galaxy such as Oikonny and given them some of his power, then could he have contacted others as well? What's he planning exactly? I don't know; it's hard to tell right now. Until something else comes up, Zelda and I should probably stay focused on winning this tournament so we can reclaim the Triforce, but I can't help but be concerned.'_

The Triforce mark on his left hand glowed faintly as the elevator doors finally opened. Link rushed out toward the ship's hanger with his sword drawn, frantically racing against the clock.

* * *

Fox sat in the cockpit of his Arwing looking out at Wolf's disabled Wolfen, trying to catch his breath. It had been a hard fight, but Fox again managed to come out on top in the end. He had contemplated going for the kill this time, but for some reason, he still couldn't bring himself to do it. Wolf's tired voice crackled over Fox's headset.

"_Guess I lost again, Fox. I'm surprised you haven't fried my ass already, seeing as how I'm defenseless at the moment."_

"Unlike you, I actually have some mercy in me. Besides, what fun would that be? I'd have no rival then," Fox said with a slight grin.

"_Heh, nice to know you take our rivalry seriously. Since you won this round I guess I owe you an apology for threatening your teammates while you weren't around. It was nothing personal; Oikonny offered us a huge sum for your hides, and you know how hard it is nowadays to find any real work."_

"It's okay Wolf, I understand. Believe it or not we're not getting as much work nowadays either, which is partially the reason why Falco and I are competing again in the Smash Brothers tournament," he commented.

"_Yeah, well make sure you stay alive long enough so that I can kill you myself someday, you hear? Leon, Panther, let's go!"_ Wolf ordered as his systems came back online. Panther and Leon's Wolfens joined his as they started adjusting for a hyperspace jump.

"_We're getting out of here seeing as how Oikonny's fleet has been totaled. We didn't get paid but at least we got to fight you guys again. Until next time, Fox…" _

The Star Wolf team disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving Fox to catch up with his team. He thought about Link as he sped toward _Simian's Wrath_, which was still putting up a fight with some of the Cornerian cruisers surrounding it. Before he could get any closer however, the flagship exploded in a massive ball of flames. He instinctively performed a U-Turn to escape the flames, sighing in relief as he saw all of his teammates' acknowledgment lights wink, signifying that they were safe.

_'Link, I hope you made it out in time...' _Fox thought with a slight frown as his team formed up behind him, heading back to the _Great Fox_.

* * *

Link killed yet another ruffian in the hanger as he dodged incoming enemy shots, using whatever he could for cover. He ducked behind a stack of cargo crates as more of Oikonny's remaining soldiers pinned him down. He knew he had less than two minutes before that C4 destroyed the flagship, but he couldn't contact Slippy and there were no spare fighters to steal. Even though he had no experience flying whatsoever, he would have still taken his chances. Anywhere was better than here at the moment.

"C'mon Fox, get Slippy to beam me out of here…" he muttered as he held his shield arm in pain. A stray blaster bolt had managed to pierce his shoulder while he was distracted, his ruined Goron Tunic doing little to ease the burning sensations running through his arm. One of the crates he was hiding behind exploded as he dove to the ground, covering his head with his gauntlets from debris.

Only one minute remained now. There was no way he would be making it out of this without a miracle. His thoughts turned to Zelda, a tear falling from his cheek at the thought of never seeing her again.

'_Zelda…I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you…' _

"_Hey Link, need a hand?"_ said a voice from his wrist. He lifted his shield arm with slight pain and glanced at the small viewscreen. Samus's cocky grin looked up at him with excitement in her eyes. Link could hardly believe what he was seeing. Of course, Samus' communicator! He had almost completely forgotten about it.

"Yeah Sam, that'd be nice. Um, could you maybe hurry it up a bit though? I'm kind of on a tight schedule…" he responded as he lifted himself up of the floor.

"_Don't worry, Falco and the Admiral briefed me on everything. Just wait where you are for a moment while I clear out this hanger!"_

Link covered his sensitive ears as a volley of blaster fire and missile explosions filled the hanger, followed by tormenting screams from the remaining ruffians. When the weapons fire stopped, Link stepped out from behind the crates, sighting Samus' new _Omega_-class gunship hovering above the ground.

"_Just step into the gravity lift underneath my ship and we'll get out of here. Hurry_!"

Link limped over to the craft and stepped into the golden light as it lifted him effortlessly into the ship. He felt the ship suddenly lurch forward as he touched the floor, racing out of the exploding _Simian's Wrath_. Samus always did have a thing for dramatic exits.

Suppressing a grin, Link made his way to the cockpit where Samus, dressed in her Zero Suit, sat at the controls, checking various instruments and setting a course for the Cornerian fleet, most likely the _Great Fox_. Marth sat in the copilot's seat, trying to keep up with Samus' orders as he worked a few instruments. Although he had never flown in space before and was still scared to death of what he called Samus's "reckless" piloting skills, he was still doing well for a beginner.

Roy and Peach were sitting there too, ceasing their conversation as they smiled up at Link as he entered. But what surprised him the most was the blonde haired woman who rose from her seat and rushed at him in a giant embrace, tears flowing down her face. Speechless, he wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her. He felt his voice return as she sobbed into his ruined tunic.

"It's okay Zel, I'm fine. You don't have to worry, I'm here now…" Link muttered as she lifted her head to look at him. He brushed some of the tears running down her cheeks with the back of his good hand.

Zelda stared into his eyes for a moment before wrapping her hands around his neck and enveloping in a full-force kiss. To Link, it was the best reward he could have ever hoped for. A small part of him wished that he had never left her in the first place as she broke the kiss, the both of them gasping for air.

"I'm just glad you're okay. I thought we weren't going to make it in time, and I…" she started before she noticed the wound in his shoulder. Samus glanced up at them from her instruments.

"Zel, why don't you go fix up Link and the both of you rest for a bit, okay? It's gonna be awhile before we're back at Smash Mansion."

"Smash Mansion? I thought we were heading back to the _Great Fox_?" asked Link in confusion.

"Nah, Foxy just sent me a transmission explaining that his team is going to stay for a bit and help out with the clean-up. He's fine, by the way, and so is his team. They told me to thank you for keeping Fox safe and for helping them defeat Oikonny. I already picked up your stuff when we made a stop at the _Great Fox_, so don't worry about that either," Samus quickly explained.

"Whoa, wait a second, when did you have time to do that?" Link asked.

"Oh…well Slippy's the one who we should all thank. He knew you guys were in trouble so he snuck away from the fight back to the _Great Fox_ so he could transmit an Arwing to Fox on Oikonny's flagship. We caught him as he was heading back to the battle, and he led us to everyone else. Anyways, go and rest now with Zelda. We'll let you both know if something comes up, okay?"

The two Hylians nodded as they disappeared from the cockpit. Roy and Peach curled up next to each other while Samus and Marth continued working in silence.

"You know Marth, you're not that bad at this. Maybe I should start taking you out on missions with me, huh? The pay's not too shabby…" Samus commented with a seductive smirk. Marth gave off a nervous chuckle as he swiveled in his chair to face her.

"Yeah…well maybe in a year or two. Baby steps, Sam, baby steps…" he teased.

"Heh, okay. Guess I'll have to depend on Adam until then, right Adam?" she asked as she glanced down at her computer AI's glowing blue eye. Information about their flight trajectory filled her viewscreen as Adam finished making calculations before responding.

"_I'm okay with that for now, Lady. Besides, he's too much of a distraction for you anyways. I think I might get jealous…" _

Both Marth and Samus laughed as they continued working, their fingers intertwining beneath their chairs as Adam launched the small Gunship into hyperspace.

Ganondorf threw another punch at Captain Falcon as the two of them fought on the Brinstar Depths map in Smash Stadium. Falcon had put up quite the fight but had managed to knock off the Gerudo only once, while he had lost all but one of his five lives. The odds weren't at all in his favor, but that wasn't stopping him from giving the Evil King a good fight. He tried another Raptor Punch but stumbled when Ganondorf dodged effortlessly, kicking the pilot from behind and racking up his damage meter to the two-hundreds.

"I'd give up if I were you, Falcon. I'm disappointed; a fighter with such a reputation as yourself losing so soon? It's quite pitiable to watch," Ganondorf sneered.

Falcon ignored his comment as he regained his footing, aiming a double-roundhouse for where his opponent's head should have been. Ganondorf grabbed his second foot with ease, pushing it out of the way as Falcon fell to the dirt. The King of Evil grabbed Falcon by the neck, lifting him into the air. A purple aura started glowing around him as Falcon's eyes widened with fear.

"Of course I can't use my true abilities in this little tournament, so I've been looking for a Smasher that I can mirror moves from. And guess what? You're the lucky Smasher!"

Falcon struggled against Ganondorf's strong grip as he felt what he thought to be his fighter's spirit being sucked right from his body and into Ganondorf's. To the audience watching outside, it seemed like only a few seconds, but to Falcon the pain seemed like an eternity. The F-Zero pilot lost consciousness as Ganondorf flung his lifeless body aside, knocking it off the edge.

"Pathetic…" he hissed as he watched the pilot plummet to the acid below. He grinned as newfound energy coursed through his veins, the hologram of Kraid rising from the acid once again to rotate the circular stage. Combined with his own dark energy, these abilities would serve him well in the rest of the tournament.

"Game!"

**Whew, thank God that arc is over! I actually have had the ending planned out for a long time now but for some reason, I just couldn't bring myself to write it. As I post this latest chapter now however, I'm at a crossroads. For now I'm most likely going to resume working on my other projects (both fan fics and original fiction) and return to this with a fresh mind and a fresh start, and I'm also not very happy with the writing style that I've been using for this story all these years. I don't know it just seems so…bland to me. Anyways I'd love to hear from you all as to what I should possibly do with this fic. Should I put it on hiatus for now and come back to it later, leave it unfinished, or just end it quickly in a few chapters since this story has been going on for so long (yes, there's a way I can do this but it again it might seem a bit rushed. I actually had quite a few more chapters planned). As always reviews are appreciated. Thanks for reading and for those of you who have been longtime fans of this fic, thanks for sticking with me for so long!**

**-Chief **


	26. Chapter 26: Ambush in Ikana Canyon

**NOTES:**** Finally, vacation's here! And even though it meant that I had to go back to work (ugh…), I've also had more time to work on other projects, such as my fan fics for one thing. Thanks to all who took the poll, I've decided to keep going with the story and stick basically with what I had written out in my senior year of high school. There are a few chapters I'm going to omit since they're more or less fillers (they might turn into short stories or one-shots down the road), but if all goes well it should get easier. My ultimate goal is to finish this fic this year so I can finally move on to bigger and better things, not that I haven't enjoyed working on this story. Also as a quick reminder for newcomers: this is a Melee fic, not a Brawl fic. So don't expect to see any Brawl characters in here. I started writing this way back in 2005 before Brawl was released, so it will continue to stay that way. Now that that's out of the way, let's get started!**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I don't own Super Smash Bros, nor do I own the Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Metroid, or any other franchise described in this story. They all belong to Nintendo, and SSBM also belongs to HAL Laboratories. All I own is this story and its ideas, please don't plagiarize or copy it. (Else I will find you…or my secret legion of minions will!)**

**Chapter 26: Ambush in Ikana Canyon**

Dark Link wasn't pleased; not that he has ever been pleased in his life. A few innocent Dinofols and Moblins found out the hard way as he passed through the hallways of Ganondorf's hidden stronghold. The lime-green liquid from their mangled bodies smeared the stone walls as he walked toward his destination, filling the halls with death's foul stench.

Who was he kidding? He practically was death. Death twisted into a hero's ethereal persona.

He glared furiously at the double wooden doors that separated him from his master's throne room, his sword still dripping fresh blood onto the impeccable red carpeting that decorated the makeshift castle. Without a second thought, he kicked them open and stormed his way toward the large golden chair where his master sat.

"How many times must I tell you to keep blood off the carpets? They're relics made by the finest Gerudo weavers," he sighed.

"Screw your fancy rugs!" Dark Link yelled as he brought his sword to bear in front of him, his face contorted in pure rage. "You always told me that killing the Hero of Time and his little princess was my duty! Why are you letting these disgusting strangers do it for me?"

Ganondorf raised an amused eyebrow. Out of all of his subordinates, Dark Link had always been the hardest to control. But, for some reason, he enjoyed the challenge. It was a nice break from the timid glances and exaggerated bows that came from his other followers.

"Answer me!" Dark Link demanded, extending the tip of his sword at Ganondorf. "Ever since I failed to bring you that Fierce Deity's Mask I've had nothing at all to do. And then I hear you sent one of your associates after my brother? This I can't—"

A hand gripped around his throat cut his voice up as he was hoisted up into the air by his master, his sword dropping with a loud _pang_. Dark Link screamed as electricity rushed through his body. It was as if a thousand needles were continuously puncturing his body.

Ganondorf stopped the spell, bringing his creation down to face him at eye level.

"Know your place, you inferior creation," he said dangerously. "You know I could snap my fingers in an instant and you would end up in the dimensional void again. And this time, I can assure you that you'll be there for all eternity."

He tossed his creation's limp body aside, walking calmly back to his throne. Dark Link slowly stood up, picking up his discarded sword before sheathing it and kneeling calmly at his master's feet.

"You know as well as I do that we need these other leaders," Ganondorf explained. "Our forces aren't strong enough on their own yet to proceed with the next phase of the plan. Besides, many of them are proving to be quite useful, even if we are down to only five members now. But if it makes you feel any better, I did not order Oikonny to kill Link. He made that decision entirely on his own and he paid the price for it. I only instructed him to retrieve the Fierce Deity's Mask, a task _you_ failed to complete!"

"I already told you, _master_," Dark Link hissed, "that there was no guarantee the mask would be left behind with his other masks."

"And I trust you destroyed the rest of his masks?"

"Of course I did," he said with a smirk. "I burned them all."

"Good. At least he won't have as many toys to use against us in the future," Ganondorf said. Although he had failed, Dark Link had at least weakened the Hylian.

Suddenly the heart-shaped mask that was mounted on a nearby mantle spoke, its entrancing yellow eyes alight with fury.

"_What about my mask? You promised me you would retrieve it for me, Ganondorf. We had a deal!" _

"Silence," Ganondorf said. "While it's true that Link may still have the Fierce Deity's Mask, that doesn't mean we can't still retrieve it."

"_You'd better! Or else I may just take this entire world for myself…"_

"And how would you be able to do that, Majora?" asked Dark Link sarcastically. "Look at yourself! You're not even at half strength yet and my master has you trapped on that pathetic mount. Raise your voice to my master again and I'll gladly reduce you to cinders too!"

"_What did you say to me!"_ roared the mask as tentacles appeared from it and shot out toward the older shadow of its mortal enemy. Dark Link drew his sword and shield with another smirk.

"Enough!" roared Ganondorf, plumes of magic steaming from his fists. He took a deep breath to compose himself again. Dark Link sheathed his weapons as Majora drew back its tentacles. However, it still kept them out.

"I assure you Majora, we will retrieve the Fierce Deity's Mask for you. Have patience. In the meantime, continue rebuilding your strength. I'll need you at full strength when the time is right."

The eyes of the ancient mask lit briefly before it fully retracted its tentacles.

"And this, my _faithful _servant of shadow," Ganondorf sneered at Dark Link, "is where you come in. Since you are so distraught over your failure, I thought you'd be excited to hear that I'm giving you another chance."

Dark Link's eyes lit up in an even brighter shade of red.

"Our spies have discovered that Link is travelling to Termina for his next match. I'm planning to stage an ambush before he reaches the capital. I was hoping that you would lead our forces. That is, if you are up for the challenge…"

"Of course I will!" Dark Link gleefully exclaimed as he stood up, excitement coursing through his being. The thrill of battle was all he lived for in this cursed world of light.

"Remember, your mission is to obtain the Fierce Deity's Mask from Link. I don't care how," Ganondorf explained. "Any Smashers you encounter are expendable."

"And the Hero? I mean, if I get the chance…"

Ganondorf thought about this for a moment before flashing a brief smile.

"If he can't win against you, then he certainly won't be a match for me. I'll leave it up to you to decide."

For one of the few times in his cursed existence, Dark Link gave the widest of smiles.

* * *

The heat wasn't quite as bad as the Gerudo Desert, but the thought wasn't too comforting as Link wiped the sweat from his brow, guiding Epona at a calm walking pace as he led his companions though the flat, barren regions of the Ikana Badlands. The Badlands, just outside Termina's dreaded Ikana Canyon, was their last obstacle before they reached Termina Field and ultimately, Clock Town.

Zelda fanned herself with her right hand as she kept the other snaked around Link's waist. She sighed, loathing the never-ending heat. Unlike Link, she wasn't used to the desert climate. She had joined the front lines of the war against Ganondorf long after Gerudo Valley had fallen to his forces, so she didn't have the same kind of experience Link did. But somehow, she was still coping. It was their other two companions behind them that she was more worried about.

"Ugh, it's too hot out here! Are we there yet? Sitting on this stupid horse isn't helping things, you know," Samus complained as she continued clinging onto Marth for dear life while he followed behind Epona. The prince rolled his eyes, sighing as silently as he could and wishing more than anything that he had brought earplugs. Since he had been brave enough to fly with Samus in her ship, he had proposed that she try out riding with him on horseback. The thought was pleasant, but the reality was terrible. She certainly was no damsel, that's for sure.

"I knew it was a bad idea leaving my Fusion Suit behind, at least it has air conditioning!"

"Samus, we're all hot. Bitching about it isn't going to make it any better," Marth said in a sour tone. Samus burned holes through the back of his head with her eyes.

After someone broke into Marth and Link's dorm and the incident near Venom, no one thought that Link going on his own to Termina would be a good idea. The Hylian was bitter that his masks were gone and that half of his equipment had been destroyed, but he was glad that Marth was unharmed. He could only speculate as to what they were after, though.

Ganondorf's televised victory over Captain Falcon had been followed by even more wins by the Gerudo in the following weeks. Each opponent that he faced was struck down with little effort, making the small group of friends even more uneasy, Link and Zelda most of all. Roy and Peach had matches back at the Holo-Stadium so at least they would stay safe in Smash Mansion.

Stories of Smashers being attacked while en route to matches were becoming more frequent, and no matter how much he protested, no one would let Link venture to Termina by himself. Besides, Zelda had always wanted to visit Termina, ever since Link had first told her stories about the strange parallel world. Samus and Marth elected to tag along for extra backup since both had finished their matches for the weekend.

"Link, how much farther do you think it is to Termina?" Marth called out. Link turned his head around to look at his friend and roommate.

"Well, we left the western part of the Lost Woods about four hours ago. I'd say about another two hours before we reach Ikana Canyon, then one more to reach Termina Field. It's smooth riding after that," Link yelled back.

The group of four continued riding in silence after that, the heat becoming less oppressive the closer they came to Ikana Canyon. After a quick water break and another hour of travel, they finally reached the canyon. All talking ceased as they passed through Ikana Graveyard. A sense of despair and sadness loomed over the group as they passed the many graves of fallen Ikana soldiers, all killed in a massive and bloody war long ago. Link had told them all of his race with Captain Keeta and his time exploring the graveyard shortly before the group reached it. He had warned them that Ikana was a place of death; that lost spirits such as the ninja-like Garo still roamed the lands, fighting a bloody civil war that had ended long ago.

None of them were particularly afraid of graveyards or the paranormal. All four had seen unexplainable phenomena in their travels, and all had dealt with souls of the dead. Even Samus, the most skeptical member of the group, could relate. Her experiences on Tallon IV with the poisoned souls of Chozo driven mad by the planet's Phazon content made a believer out of her.

Dampé the Gravekeeper gave a brief wave to Link as he made his rounds around the graves, caring for those that needed work as the four travelers passed by his hut and through the main entrance to the graveyard.

* * *

Finally, he spotted them. Two horses with a pair of individuals mounted on each came into view, heading away from the graveyard on the other side of the canyon. However, Dark Link was focused on the lead horse. A cold smile crossed his lips as he laid eyes on his target. It had been far too long since the Water Temple…

"Sir?" A Stalfos Knight in golden armor came up to his superior as he continued watching the four Smashers.

"Yes captain?"

"Our forces are prepared and waiting for your command, but the Gibdos are restless. The owners of that music box are missing and the Gibdos were desperately looking forward to slaughtering them as payback for their fallen brethren."

"They'll have to live then, won't they?" said Dark Link bitterly as he turned to face the captain, who ignored his leader's terrible pun. "I don't care about their issues so long as they follow my orders. But never mind them; I've finally sighted our target."

"Your orders then, commander?"

Dark Link turned back to the unaware Smashers, his eyes becoming an even brighter hue of red as thoughts of bloodshed filled his mind. The cold smile that adorned his lips widened even more as he formulated a plan. Oh how he was going to enjoy this.

"Kill them. Kill them all. All, except the Hero of Time. He's mine…"

* * *

"Link!"

Her words snapped him out of his daze. The Hylian looked back at his girlfriend, acting like nothing had happened.

"Yeah, Zel? What's up?" he asked with a slight smile.

"You zoned out there for a moment," she said with concern. "Is everything okay?"

Link wanted to tell her everything was fine; that they would be seeing the green fields of Termina Field in a matter of moments, that that sudden feeling in the back of his mind that something was wrong had never happened. But he couldn't bring himself to keep anything from her. He didn't want to worry her, nor did he want to worry Marth or Samus. But she at least deserved to know.

"I just have the nagging feeling something's wrong."

"What do you mean?" she asked. Link pointed up across the canyon.

"Look up there," Link said. "Do you see that rounded golden thing at the top of the ridge?"

"Barely," Zelda said.

"What you see up there is actually part of a music box house. A scientist and his daughter live there."

"What about them?"

"Well, usually they have music playing from the house that wards off Gibdos."

Zelda raised an eyebrow, astonished at imagining such a power to exist. "Oh wow! But how?"

Link couldn't help but smirk at this opportunity to impress her. "You see, the music acts as an exorcist of sorts. I don't know how, but somehow the melody separates the soul from their immortal bodies and sends them to the other world..."

"Amazing!"

"It is when the music's playing. But it's silent..."

He dozed off into questions of incertitude, pondering the many possibilities as to why in the world the music had ceased until something flashed in his peripheral vision. Quickly reacting on sheer reflex, he swung his arms around him to knock her off the horse.

"Link! What's the big i..." Suddenly her voice was cut off by the flash of an arrow zipping right over her head. "...dea..."

"MOVE!" the hero yelled as more arrows started shooting around them, scaring Epona into a fright. Link dismounted and pulled Zelda up with one hand, using his Hylian Shield the other for cover. He dragged her to the nearest boulder he could find while arrows struck the rocky earth around them.

"SHIT!" Samus shouted as Marth's horse reared up and knocked the pair of them off before taking off after Epona. Samus rolled out of the way of an oncoming arrow before drawing her emergency pistol and started firing back, squinting to see their attackers from above. Although the pistol was relatively weak and could only stun, it gave her something to fight with at least.

'_That's it, I'm never leaving without my Fusion Suit again,'_ she grumbled as she grabbed a dazed Marth by the arm and pulled him behind another rock. Marth drew his Falchion even though he could do little at the moment. He saw Link firing back with his bow, struggling to see where the shots were coming from. It wasn't until he saw a Stalfos plummet from the cliff's edge did he recognize their attackers.

"Link, they have the higher ground! I don't think we'll be able to do too much," Marth called out. Samus made a break for it and ran over to them and shot another Stalfos.

"That's not saying much!" she shouted as she blindly shot in the air, praying to hit at least one of them. Luckily for her, another twitching Stalfos confirmed another direct hit

"We might have to make a run for it," said Link. "It'll be risky and we'll be vulnerable, but it might be our only chance. I don't think they're gonna run out of arrows anytime soon."

As if on cue, the arrows suddenly stopped.

"What's going on?" whispered Zelda.

"I'm not sure…" said Link as he peeked around the boulder. Slowly he sidestepped out from their cover, scanning the cliff edge for movement. He didn't see the shadow that slithered along the canyon floor and materialized behind him.

Link turned and found himself face-to-face with a creature he thought had never come to exist in this timeline; a creature that he thought he would never see again.

"Hello, brother…" Dark Link said with a sadistic grin before he grabbed the shocked Hylian by the shoulders. Before he knew what was happening, Link felt his entire body become enveloped in something chilling and liquid-like before the world turned dark around him.

"Link!" yelled Zelda as she rushed to where he had been moments before. She tried reaching out to him telepathically. No answer.

"We have to find him!"

"Sorry Zel, but we've got bigger problems right now!" Samus shouted as she and Marth joined her.

Zelda turned around to find hundreds of Stalfos and moblins facing them, weapons drawn. A group of Gibdos burst forth from the ground, their red eyes hungry for flesh and their moans chilling her to the bone.

"How in the name of Nayru did they—"

"I'm not sure," said Marth, "but it looks like we'll have to deal with them first." The Altean prince ran at the group, unleashing his Falchion on the nearest Stalfos and cleaving it neatly in two before it could raise its shield. Samus and Zelda nodded and joined the fray, Samus firing more plasma shots at the Stalfos while Zelda attacked the Gibdos with balls of Din's Fire.

'_Screw this…'_ Samus thought as she watched her shots only slow down the oncoming Stalfos. She pressed a button on the side of the handle and flipped the top part of the chamber so that it pointed upward. With a press of the trigger, an orange energy whip materialized out of the gun. Without hesitation she swung the whip in a wide arc, cutting through four Stalfos directly in her way. Their severed bodies dropped to the ground in a mess of bones before the bodies disappeared in wisps of black smoke.

'_Much better,'_ she smirked.

Zelda felt more Gibdos surrounding her from behind until she was separated from the other Smashers. With a brief charge of magic, she slammed her fist into the ground as Link had done many times before, enveloping herself in a fiery dome that incinerated every Gibdos around her. She slowly stood up and glanced briefly at her handiwork before turning back to look at the spot where her protector and lover had disappeared.

'_We'll find you Link, I promise. Just hold on until we do,' _she thought, determination etched onto her face as she activated Nayru's Love to protect against a Stalfos' lunge with its jagged, rusted sword.

**And that's where I'll end things for now. Don't worry, I promise I won't take as long as last time to update (although I've done so before, so that's not saying much). In all honesty, I really want to complete this fic soon. This month will mark about six years now since I published the first chapter, and I feel like this fic should have been done a long time ago. That's why, in order to help me stay on task, I've called upon the expertise of The Stupendous Jimbo to help me out as my beta reader. He's been one of my best friends for several years now and even though he's more into writing humor, he knows what I want to do with this story and has a good eye for grammar errors and awkward sentences. So I'd like to give a special shout out to him for his help in the making of this chapter! Anyway expect more updates in the future, please review, thanks for sticking with me for so long and as always, thanks for reading. I'm still open to story ideas, so send me a PM (or a review?) if you have any. Keep an eye glued to my profile for progress updates!**

**-Chief**


	27. Ch 27: Ambush in Ikana Canyon, Part II

**NOTES: I am so...SO sorry that I haven't updated anything in such a long time. I'd bore you all with a long explanation, but I think I've left you waiting long enough. Many thanks, as always, to The Stupendous Jimbo for his beta work and overall story advice. Onward to the next chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Super Smash Bros, nor do I own the Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Metroid, or any other franchise described in this story. They all belong to Nintendo, and SSB also belongs to HAL Laboratories. All I own is this story and its ideas, please don't plagiarize or copy it. (Else I will find you…or my secret legion of minions will.)**

_**(Please support the official release. ^^) -Chief's Beta**_

**Chapter 27: Ambush in Ikana Canyon, Part II**

A light breeze smoothed away the few strands of blonde hair as Link stirred. The Hylian groaned as he gingerly lifted himself off the dusty canyon ground until he stood up, brushing the sand off of his tunic.

Memories of the ambush played through his head as he remembered a black figure with crimson eyes grabbing his shoulders before he lost consciousness. _Wait a moment…crimson eyes?_

"Finally, you're awake. I was beginning to get bored…"

On instinct Link drew the Master Sword and Hylian Shield and turned to the source of the voice.

What he saw chilled his soul to the core.

A figure leaned against a boulder near the canyon edge with its arms crossed. Silver hair, pitch-black tunic, even blacker skin and face…and those eyes...

"Remember me, _dear_ brother?" Dark Link sneered. "It's been far too long. Did you like my shadow trick?"

"But, how?" Link asked. "That future never happened! It was erased when I was sent back in time."

"True," Dark Link smirked. "But if that's the case, then I shouldn't be here, should I? Am I simply a figment of your imagination?"

Link ignored the taunt. "I know Ganondorf sent you. What's he up to?"

The demonic shade shrugged. "Don't know, and don't care. As long as I get to bleed you out until there's nothing left but a sack of skin, I could care less."

Link barely rolled to his left in time as his twin's blade cut through the space where his head had been. The Hero of Time retaliated with a jump attack but Dark Link caught it easily. Sparks erupted from the two locked swords as their masters pushed against each other.

"I'm disappointed; you've had all this time to improve, and yet you use the same old tricks," the demon said.

"We'll see," Link grunted. Without warning he stopped pushing and sidestepped. His twin's eyes widened as he stumbled forward, his back vulnerable to attack. The satisfying feel of steel cutting through flesh ran through Link as the Master Sword left a wide gash in his doppelganger's backside.

Dark Link tripped, shock visible on his face as he fell to the ground and lie still. Blood seeped out of the wound and stained the earth with a putrid green. It seemed that Ganondorf chose to give his creation a mortal body this time around.

"That's one problem down," Link muttered as he sheathed the ancient sword with a small victory flourish. His instincts screamed that the fight was too easy, but Link didn't care. He had to find Zelda and the others. He looked around the landscape, trying to spot any sign of his friends.

_Crunch._

Link unsheathed the Master Sword as fast as he could and spun on his heels, catching Dark Link's blade just in time.

"Thanks for the warm-up," the shade grinned, his eyes dancing with glee as the two warriors broke apart and began a brilliant dance of blades.

* * *

Marth ran though the army of Stalfos and unleashed a flurry of strikes, severing bony limbs and heads with a precision only obtained through years of training. He slid to a stop, holding his beloved Falchion above him as a gigantic mist of black smoke arose from where the enemy had once stood.

He lowered the sword and searched for his comrades. It wasn't long before he spotted Zelda casting walls of flame around her, turning the closest Gibdos to ash in seconds and igniting the ones farther away. The undead moaned even louder as they collapsed, disappearing into black mist like the rest of Ganondorf's minions.

"Any luck finding Link?" Marth asked as he sprinted over.

"Nothing," she said with a frown. She had tried again to detect his presence with telepathy, but only silence answered her. It was as if Link had completely vanished from existence.

"Zelda, we can't keep this up. I'm not sure where all these things are coming from, but if we stay here we're going to be overwhelmed eventually."

Zelda nodded, wiping away the faint traces of sweat on her forehead. Though she didn't want to admit it, the last twenty minutes of nonstop magic use had seriously strained her core, and she didn't have any green potion to revitalize herself with. Marth was just as tired and had a few cuts on his cape and armor. Fortunately, none of those rusted blades had penetrated the skin, but he didn't want to keep pushing his luck.

"This has Ganondorf written all over it," Zelda said. "If he does anything to Link, I swear..."

Her hands curled into fists as Marth placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll deal with him later, Zel. Right now we need to find Link, get our horses back and get to Clock Town before nightfall-,"

He stopped, a chilling fear running through his body.

_'Idiot!' _

How could he have forgotten? But with all of those _things_ surrounding them. She couldn't have gone far...

"Zelda, where's Samus?"

* * *

Three Gibdos fell to the ground. The raw plasma cuts on their chests ignited their mummified bodies while more stepped over them, their arms reaching out for their prey.

Samus was exhausted. The scorching heat made it ten times worse, not to mention she was so used to the cool air that automatically filtered through her suit when she explored hot areas that she forgot what true heat felt like.

Her Zero Suit had multiple scratch marks on it, the reinforced Kevlar barely protecting her skin from outside infection. Her pistol's power cell was nearly depleted, the blade of the whip barely flickered as it tried to maintain its form. The weapon wasn't meant for such extraneous use; the last time it had been used this much was all the way back during her first mission on Zebes when she was shot down and had to sneak aboard a Space Pirate frigate. If she hadn't found the Chozo ruins that created a new suit for her, she didn't know how she would have made it off that planet alive.

_'Too bad I can't summon the Fusion Suit at will like I did with my old Varia Suit. This fight would have been over a long time ago.' _

Another Gibdos rushed at her as she stepped back, lashing out at it with her whip. The plasma sliced its arms off easily and lit the creature on fire. The flames consumed it until it fell smoldering to the rocky canyon surface. Her whip glimmered one more time before it faded completely.

"Shit," she muttered as the remaining Gibdos closed in on her. She backed up until she felt something hard against her backside. Panic started to set in; her remaining escape routes were cut off as the Gibdos surrounded her in a half circled arc, their groans longing for the taste of flesh.

There was nothing she could do. If she warded one off, several more would grab at her backside. If she ran through them, she'd be attacked or even worse, bitten. She didn't need her suit's scanner to imagine what a Gibdos bite could do to her...

Their arms were close now, the undead fingers almost reaching her chest and arms. She closed her eyes, a tear running down the otherwise fearless bounty hunter's cheek.

_'Marth...I'm so sorry...'_

"YAHHH!"

The nearest Gibdos' arm was dismembered after a figure dropped down from the ledge above her, cape billowing with sword in hand. Marth beat back the Gibdos with a ferocity Samus had never seen before. Before she could say anything to him, the back of the hoard exploded into a ball of flame. She looked in the opposite direction to see Zelda preparing another round of Din's Fire.

"Samus, come on!"

Marth grabbed her hand and ran through the path he and Zelda had made, beheading any Gibdos that blocked his path. Before she knew what was happening, Marth lifted her off the ground and tossed her on her backside ahead of him. She stood up and watched Marth finish off the stragglers, ethereal rage in his eyes. She had never seen him so angry in her life.

Only when the last Gibdos had been decapitated did he turn around to face her. His eyes immediately softened as he looked down at her, reaching for her hand as he hauled her up. She wrapped him in the tightest hug she could.

"You came..." she mumbled into his shoulder before he gently moved her head away and caught her lips with his. They broke apart as he held her in his arms, a smile on his face. He felt the dread he had felt moments ago leave him.

'Don't you ever scare me like that again," he whispered. She pulled him closer to her with a reassuring squeeze. It was the only answer he needed.

Zelda walked up to them with a smile of her own. "There's plenty of time for that later on."

Trying in vain to hide the blush on her cheeks, Samus let go of her boyfriend and switched back to bounty hunter mode.

"Right. I'm not positive, but I think I heard what sounded like metal clangs up on that ledge," she said, pointing to a boulder protruding from the top of the canyon. "It sounded like swords."

"Then that's where we'll go," Zelda said.

Samus nodded and took a few steps before she winced and grabbed her side. Marth was by her side in a flash. He ignored her protests and slung her left arm over his broad shoulders.

"Easy there, Sam."

"It's nothing, just a bruise," she said. "One of those damn Gibdos or whatever they're called slammed into me when I was distracted. You guys go on ahead, I'll be fine here."

"No, you're staying with me," Marth said. She went to argue but the stern look he gave her quelled any retort.

"Marth's right; we can't get separated again," Zelda said.

_'But Samus does have a point. At this rate by the time we find Link he could be...' _

She scolded herself. That kind of thinking wouldn't help them at all.

As if on cue, a faint neighing and the gallop of hooves came from the canyon entrance.

* * *

Link yelled from the pain in his right forearm as his shield took another thrust from his opposite's sword. Dark Link grinned even more as he continued to put Link on the defensive. He tried to counter but he just couldn't respond fast enough. Dark Link continuously kept changing styles and combos and seemed determined not to leave any openings.

"You've grown weak," Dark Link said as he relented his onslaught for a moment.

Link kept his shield raised but didn't respond. He took ragged breaths, ignoring the aches from his sore muscles.

He knew he was in trouble; Dark Link had barely a scratch on him while Link was covered in cuts, especially on his sword arm. He knew part of his opposite's newfound energy was Ganondorf's influence, but even still, shouldn't the reflection only be as strong as the original?

"It's a shame," Dark Link mocked, "especially after I heard what you did to that fool, Oikonny. I guess it was only a fluke. Oh well..."

Link was too slow to react when Dark Link barreled into him with his shield and shoved him to the ground like a ragdoll. The Hero of Time coughed as he struggled to rise.

Dark Link casually walked over to him, pausing at the hand that still clenched the Master Sword. He slammed his boot into Link's hand with a sickening crunch. Link let out a gut-wrenching scream as he felt the bones of his fingers break under the pain. Dark Link grinned as he twisted and turned his foot, increasing the pressure.

"That's it, scream for me little Link! Let me hear your torment as I squeeze every inch of life out of you!"

Link continued screaming, the pain becoming almost unbearable. He couldn't lose, not when Zelda and the others were still in danger. He had to save the others and defeat Ganondorf, not to mention resurrect Hyrule and all of those who had been lost in the flood. There was so much at stake, but he was still too weak.

_'...Use me...'_

Link's ears perked up at the new voice. "What?"

_'You can't win by yourself...use me...like you did with Majora...'_

Link's eyes widened. _'It can't be!'_

_'You know what I can offer you...use me again, and we'll be victorious...'_

_'I can't! I almost lost control of myself last time. It's too much power for one person to handle.'_

The eyes of the mask in his magically-charmed pouch lit up with an ethereal white glow. _'Then why do you carry me around? Afraid to lose me, Hero?'_

_'I can't let you fall into the wrong hands. Until I can finally destroy you...'_

_'But you haven't, and you won't if you die here. Put me on...use me again, and you can still save them. Even her...'_

_'NO!'_

Link gritted his teeth as Dark Link grinded his boot even harder into his hand, blood seeping out from beneath the blue hilt of his sacred blade.

"Hmm, maybe I'll go have some fun with that harlot of a princess of yours once I'm done with you. That is, if the Gibdos haven't ravaged her body yet."

_'It's your choice, Hero. Die here, or live and save her...' _

Zelda's smiling face flashed in his mind, the thought of her filling him with warmth and dread at the same time.

He couldn't lose her, she was all he had left.

It didn't take him long to make his decision, though it would come to haunt him for years to come.

Link summoned the last of his strength and kicked Dark Link in the ribs It was only enough to make him stumble, but that was all he needed. Link moved his bloody mess of a hand away, ignoring the burning pain as he leaped to his feet and backed away from his opposite, reaching into his tunic.

Dark Link went to rush at him again before he saw what Link pulled out. White hair, an expressionless face with tribal markings on it...

He intentionally faltered, feigning fatigue as he watched the Hero of Time don the Fierce Deity's Mask.

A white light blinded his vision as Dark Link heard the screams. He couldn't help the Cheshire grin that adorned his face. This was what he had been waiting for.

From the light stepped a being that was a few heads taller than the Hero of Time and wore the same boots, gauntlets, and a similar light violet hat, but the similarities ended there. He was dressed in a matching tunic, with an indigo undershirt and pants. The crescent moon and a triangle were etched in gold unto chest plate armor. In his hands he wielded a faded blue greatsword, the blades intertwined together in a helix.

What caught Dark Link's attention the most, however, was the face of the figure. A blue, V-shaped symbol and maroon tribal markings around the cheeks, with hair and eyes whiter than the moon. The eyes...they were pupil-less.

_'So, this is the power Majora desires so much...'_

The figure lifted the mighty greatsword in front of his torso and stared directly at Dark Link.

He gave a wicked smile before he rushed at the shadow at inhuman speed.

* * *

**Whew, this one took way longer than I thought it would. Again, I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update, my friends. It's been one thing after another this past year. I finished my senior year in college and graduate in May with a B.A. (woot!) and right now I'm on the job hunt and praying to find a way out of my crappy supermarket job. It's nice to be home though, I must say.**

**Anyway, you'll be happy to know that the next chapter is already done and in the beta stages! It will be released one week from now. The Ikana arc will be complete, and then we'll be getting into the final rounds of this tournament and to the end of this tale. It's a bit sad to think about, but at the same time, I'm glad. In a way, this fic represents some unfinished business on my part, and I really feel that it's holding me back a bit from venturing into newer and better things. If you look at my writing style starting out until now, you'll see how much I've improved over the course of this story. I really want to get into writing original fiction and having that be my sole focus soon. First though, I need to finish this story.**

**Don't worry though, I'll be sticking around as a fan fiction author. I just think it's time for me to evolve, so to speak. Keeping with that theme, I've recently come to a decision that I've been mulling over for some time. **

**-cue drum roll-**

**One week from now when the next chapter is released, I will be changing my author name from halomasterchief to another alias. I will still be using this account, but you will need to either find my new name, this story, or simply subscribe to author alerts in order to find me. I will be announcing the same thing on my other SSB story, Heart of Steel, when the next chapter is released (should be shortly after this update, but might take a bit longer as my beta is helping me to iron out some rough bits). I have another announcement to make to you all, but I'll save it for next time. Stay tuned to my author profile for updates. I'm always writing new ones!**

**Thanks for the support all, again it's really appreciated. If you would be so kind, leave a review and subscribe please; they make me write faster! **

**All the best,**

**-Chief**


	28. Ch 28: Ambush in Ikana Canyon, Part III

**NOTES: As I mentioned last time folks, this chapter will mark the beginning of the end! So sit back, grab some popcorn and strap in. Shit's about to get real, son.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Super Smash Bros or the Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Metroid, or any other franchise featured in this story. All are property of Nintendo, and SSB also belongs to HAL Laboratories and Mr. Sakurai. No profit is being made here, but if there was, for all the years I've been doing this, the amount of revenue I would have generated from shameless promotion would be enough to maybe buy a can of beans...or a cardboard box. Yeah, we fan fic writers are kind of poor.**

**Chapter 28: Ambush in Ikana Canyon, Part III**

Zelda, Samus, and Marth finally found a safe trail for their horses to travel just as the moon gently rose over the horizon. Zelda rode Epona while Marth chose to guide both horses. Samus, still injured from her encounter with the Gibdos, sat atop Marth's steed. She was a bit irritated when she found out that Marth had simply forgotten about her in the heat of battle, but she forgave him. After all, he did show up in the end, and that was what mattered the most. But nonetheless, she made a mental note to get back at him one day.

The bounty hunter took out her canteen from the saddlebag to take a drink of water. Upon noticing the canteen, Marth realized he too was thirsty from all that pulling. He reached for his canteen, only to find out it was completely dry. "Hey Samus, can I have some when you're done?"

"Oh sure, hold on," she replied. Afterwards, she leaned her head back and downed the last of her water. Marth frowned while shooting an offensive glare at her. She scoffed. "Oh sorry, forgot about you in the heat of my thirst."

Before Marth could react, Samus tossed the empty canteen towards him before glancing at Zelda. "At least it isn't as hot out here now."

Marth looked over his shoulder with a cold glare. He decided to let it go. "I don't want to stay out here any longer than necessary. Link told me once that this land is stained with the blood of a fallen empire, and frankly, I don't want to find out what decided to linger."

The two smashers looked at Zelda, who seemed unusually calm. They knew she was listening, hoping for any sign that might lead them to her best friend.

"She hasn't looked back once," Samus muttered.

"She's trying to find him telepathically," Marth replied. "I don't understand it, but those two share a bond. I think it's a Hylian thing."

The first stars were peeking out from the blanket of nightfall when Zelda's body gave a sudden jolt. She snapped her head to the left, due east.

"He's there!"

She willed Epona off in a mad dash while Marth leaped onto Zelda's horse and helped Samus guide his horse into a steady gallop.

A few more turns and small hills later, Marth and Samus finally caught up, though the sight wasn't the joyous reunion they were hoping for.

Epona nudged a figure that Zelda held in her arms. She was on her knees, muttering in Hylian, her eyes closed in concentration. Warm healing energy seeped from her fingertips and into the figure.

A sword was stuck to the ground, hilt-up, in the distance, and Samus almost stepped on a battered shield, the crest of the Triforce scratched and faded and the lower half of it missing.

As they stepped closer, Samus and Marth were disturbed at what they saw. An unconscious Link lay helplessly in the lap of a tear-stricken Zelda. He was completely battered and bathed in his own blood. Ignoring the red stains that covered her hands, Zelda continued to heal the Hero of Time.

Marth couldn't pull his eyes away. While he didn't understand it, he knew the image of Zelda desperately hovering over his friend would haunt his dreams for months to come.

* * *

Dark Link walked through the halls of Ganondorf's stronghold, a noticeable skip in his step despite his disheveled appearance. He felt the very embodiment of euphoria as he pushed open each new set of double doors on the way to his master.

It had been a glorious day for him. Yes, he did have a nasty gash in his stomach that was still bleeding with each step he took, but his brother had been defeated, even when he had pulled out his trump card. Sure, he wasn't exactly dead, but after the entertainment the last hour had provided him, Dark Link just couldn't find it within himself to finally kill his rival.

He was just too much fun.

* * *

_Dark Link twisted his body in midair to avoid another buzzsaw-like energy disc. As soon as he landed he was again on the defensive as the white-haired demon met him with a flurry of blows. A huge swing caught him in the chest as he parried another blow._

_One would think that the weight of such a weapon as that greatsword would slow a combatant down, especially with the armor. No, not this creature. Sure, it looked a bit like Link, but it moved differently, with such skill and grace for such a destructive force._

_For a moment, Dark Link thought he actually might lose._

_He ignored the stinging pain from his abs as he parried another strike, this time lashing out with a few of his own. He was Ganondorf's ultimate creation; he would not lose to some pathetic mockery of dark magic! _

_He continued to block and trade blows with the demonic force – that same disturbing smile on the entity's face as he used the greatsword to block every one of Dark Link's attacks._

_A sweeping arc with the greatsword knocked Dark Link's shield aside._

'Shit.'

_Dark Link went skidding on his backside, leaving a trail of green blood and dirt in his wake. He urged his body to rise as the demon walked toward him, lifting the greatsword above him to bring everything down to a close with one final slice._

_It was then when Dark Link remembered his rival placing the mask on his face in the first place._

'Wait...if it can be put on, then it can just as easily be taken off...'

_It was mad, foolhardy of him even. It could have been the end of him completely if he failed. But he decided to do it anyway._

_Using every ounce of energy he still possessed, he launched himself up to the Deity and grabbed onto both sides of its face, pulling as hard as he could. The being screamed as Dark Link pulled harder, watching in wonder as the same bright light that had revealed the entity leak out from the sides and eye sockets of its face. _

_With one final yank, Dark Link was blown back, the light blinding him temporarily._

_He felt something wooden in his hand, something that felt like...yes, it was! _

_The Fierce Deity's Mask was finally his._

* * *

He had spared his brother. But that didn't mean he hadn't given his body a few good kicks and punches before leaving.

Payback, with a little interest for good measure...was that the expression humans used? He wasn't sure. Not that it mattered; humans were disgusting and weak.

He carelessly strode into the throne room, where Ganondorf sat watching his creation's approach with an unreadable expression.

"Here's what you wanted, Master," the shadow smirked as he held the Fierce Deity's Mask in front of the Gerudo like an offering.

Ganondorf didn't so much as shift in his chair. Dark Link was irritated.

"What? I went through all of that and not so much as a 'thank you!'"

The King of Evil still didn't move. Not even Majora's Mask stirred from its place on the mantle.

"Answer me, you old fool!"

Before he could utter another sound, he saw the golden tip of a blade protrude from his chest, right next to his heart.

He didn't know what had happened. The cold voice of his master hissed from behind his right ear.

"Oh you did well, my creation. However, since you've served your purpose, I've decided that your services are no longer needed."

Dark Link could only make a choking sound as the blade was retracted from his chest. The last thing he felt was the luxurious carpet when his body hit the floor.

_'A useful tool, but a loose cannon like that has no place in my plans for the future.'_

"Guards, dispose of this trash," the King of Evil ordered to the Iron Knuckles stationed at the door as he strode back to his throne, the Fierce Deity's Mask firmly in his grasp. Before he reached his throne, Ganondorf turned his head with a cruel smile.

"Oh, and by the way – thank you."

_**To be continued...**_

* * *

**And that will finally mark the end of this story, folks! I know, I know; you're all confused, right? I mean, to leave you all on such a cliffhanger, and I dare to call the story complete? ****Well...it's because there will be a sequel! **

**It shall pick up shortly after this story and will encompass the rest of the chapters I had originally planned. Plus, turning all of that material into a sequel was the only way I could really think of where I could finally be free of this story while still being able to keep my promise to finish it. Because let's be honest, my updating habits aren't exactly the best, and at this rate I'll be 80 years old by the time I finally list this story as "completed." Not to mention, I've felt constrained every time I've gone to update. My writing style has evolved so much, and to be forced to keep going with what I started at 16 was starting to be a real burden. So, why not start a sequel and finish the tale that way?**

**Thanks again to all who have stuck with me this far, and especially those who reviewed, alerted, and favorited LAH over the years. It hasn't been easy, but you all have made writing this fic such a joy. I will never forget you all, even if you stopped reading due to my slow updating habits. It's a shame no one reviewed the last chapter at the time of this update, but again I'm not surprised considering I took so long.**

**Anyway, make sure to look for LAH: Endgame, the sequel to this fic, coming very soon after I take a break for a few weeks to work on other projects (and continue searching for a job). I also might take some time to rewrite and edit all of my previous work. Also, when Endgame is released, it will be listed under my new author name, which starting at midnight is... **

_**"Way of the Sheikah"**_

**...So make sure to search for me under this name in the future, or simply search for this story or any of my others and add me to your author alerts. Enjoy the rest of the summer everyone, and thanks again to _The Stupendous Jimbo_ for being my beta and keeping me sane these past three years!**

**Signing off for the last time,**

**-Chief **


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